Song of the Guardians
by Song Angel
Summary: Ten years after the Final Battle, Harry and Hermione return to Hogwarts as professors. They must reform the Order of the Phoenix and the D.A. as a new enemy rises. But, some of their new friends have a surprising and dangerous secret.
1. Back At Hogwarts

_Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter related._

_I had to re-post this first chapter, because I needed to make a correction. This is 10 years after the war, not five._

* * *

**Back At Hogwarts**

"Do you ever stop reading Granger?" Draco Malfoy asked, looking over at her from the chess game he was playing with Harry.

"It's been known to happen," Hermione replied, not bothering to look up from her book. Draco rolled his eyes and Harry chuckled. A slight smile tugged at Hermione's mouth, but it was safely hidden behind the book.

Harry and Hermione had managed to form a truce with Draco Malfoy after the war. It hadn't been easy, but they were finally able to look beyond their past hatred. They weren't really close, but they tolerated each other well. And so, they found themselves in the teachers' lounge at Hogwarts, relaxing a bit before the students would arrive at the school.

"God, you're awful Potter," Draco commented, watching as his queen crushed Harry's bishop. "Are you putting up a fight at all?"

Harry glared at him but paused in his retort when the door to the staff room, swung open.

The new Muggle Studies professor stepped in and smiled hesitantly at the trio. She was a pretty American witch with wavy, light brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was small, but she was stunning. "Hello," she said quietly, her eyes scanning the room a bit nervously.

"Hello," the other three chorused politely.

"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione said helpfully. "I'll be teaching transfiguration this year."

"Draco Malfoy," Draco supplied, rising and stepping forward to shake her hand. "I'm teaching charms."

Harry stepped forward to shake the witch's hand as well. "I'm Harry Potter, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"Nice to meet all of you," the witch said with a smile. "I'm Caroline Freeman. I'm taking over Muggle Studies."

"It's so strange to listen to your accent," Harry commented.

Caroline blushed slightly. "I can imagine that it would be," she giggled. She was from South Carolina, and though her accent wasn't strong at all in comparison to other South Carolinians, she sounded quite strange among her British colleagues. "I've heard so much about all of you."

Draco glanced uncomfortably at Harry, unsure of what Caroline may have heard about him. Caroline noticed the look and smiled slightly. Quite a bit of what she'd heard of Draco had been less than flattering. In the end, he had felt remorse for his deeds and that was what really mattered. Everyone deserved a second chance. In an effort to ease his discomfort she asked "Is Professor Snape always like that?"

"Like what? A git?" Harry supplied with a smirk.

Caroline frowned. "A... a what?" she asked, sitting down next to Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry. "Professor Snape is quite stern and very grouchy," she told Caroline. "He's had a hard life."

"Yes, I've read about him," Caroline nodded. "It must've been awful to work as a spy for so long."

"The war was hard on him," Draco agreed. "He managed to survive the bite from You-know-who's snake but he was sent to Azkaban soon after he recovered. Still can't imagine how he survived," he added, shaking his head.

"It took us a while before we could get him out of there," Harry added, shaking his head. "I provided loads of evidence, but the ministry dragged it's feet in clearing him of all charges. I guess we can't really blame him for being such a bastard sometimes."

"I don't know," Hermione said thoughtfully. "He seems a little different lately. A little more laid back."

"I'd noticed that as well," Draco agreed.

"Maybe he just needs some friends," Caroline suggested. "He's obviously not all bad."

Hermione and Harry looked at each other and shrugged. The thought of being on friendly terms with Severus Snape was very strange. Then again, they were currently spending time with Draco Malfoy, of all people.

At that moment, the door opened again. Professor Snape stood in the doorway with a bored expression. "The carriages are arriving," he said smoothly, his eyes sweeping over the four new teachers. "The headmistress wishes for all of the staff to be in the Great Hall."

The others quickly stood and moved toward the door, walking down the hallway with the deputy headmaster. Harry grinned when Draco moved to walk next to Caroline. He caught Hermione's eye and she smirked.

Once all of the first years had been sorted, Professor McGonagall rose from her seat to address the students. She introduced the new staff members one at a time, pausing to allow the students to applaud. When she got to Harry and Hermione, many of the students burst into excited chatter. They fell silent immediately when Snape stood up and swept his forbidding glare over the hall. Draco snorted and rolled his eyes while Hermione blushed and Harry squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. He really hoped that the students wouldn't behave so ridiculously in class.

The feast was as amazing, as usual. The newly sorted first years gazed all around as they ate, in awe of their surroundings. When everyone had finished, McGonagall dismissed the students and then invited the teachers to stay for some tea before turning in. The students flooded through the doors, many of them shooting curious looks over their shoulders at Harry and Hermione. "Honestly," Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes, "the war was ten years ago. When is everyone going to stop acting so strangely.I have no doubt that by the end of the day tomorrow, Harry will have had a dozen requests for autographs."

"Well, you are war heroes," Caroline said, accepting a cup of tea from a house-elf. "And Harry was famous anyway."

"Don't remind me," Harry grumbled.

Caroline looked at him in confusion. "Harry's never really liked all of the attention," Hermione explained, resting her hand on Harry's shoulder.

Caroline nodded. "That's understandable," she said gently. "Who wants to be famous for surviving the curse that killedhis parents? I'm sure you didn't enjoy people watching you all of the time. I remember reading about you in the paper a few times and wondering why they couldn't just leave you alone once the war was over. I mean, do people really have nothing better to do than talk about what you like to eat, your favorite Quidditch team and whether or not you'll marry Ginevra Weasley. Really, who cares? Not that it's not important," she added quickly. "But, it shouldn't matter to anyone else. You're not a mascot."

"Well spoken," said Professor McGonagall, approaching them. "Professor Freeman, I'm so glad to have you here with us and already making friends. I believe that your sisters have arrived," she added, gesturing toward the entrance to the Great Hall.

Caroline waved to the two young women that had just walked in, accompanied by Mr. Filch."These are my sisters," Caroline told her new friends, gesturing to the two witches as they stopped at her side. "This is Samantha and Jenna."

Samantha was tan and lean with dark eyes and high cheek bones. She looked as if she could be Caroline's polar opposite but just as striking. Jenna looked quite a bit like Caroline, except for the fact that she was taller, and not quite as fine boned. Her eyes were green instead of blue.

"In case you were wondering, Sam takes after our dad," Caroline said with a grin.

"That explains it," Hermione said nodding. "My goodness you look like one of those American Indians," she told Sam with a smile.

"We're nearly half Cherokee," Sam responded. "Not that you can tell looking at these too." She nodded her head at her fair-skinned sisters.

"Are you teaching here as well?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Good lord, no," Jenna said, wrinkling her nose. "Caroline's the crazy one that wanted to teach. Sam and I decided to come to Englad to be close to her. Professor McGonagall said that we could come visit her after the feast, and as often as we like during the term." She offered Professor McGonagall a grateful smile.

"How nice," Hermione said. "Where are you staying?"

"We found a nice little apartment near Hogsmeade," Sam replied.

The headmistress rested her hand on Caroline's shoulder and said "These young ladies are quite talented. When I went to visit with them, I could hear lovely music coming from inside the apartment. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the marvelous sound was coming from these three."

"What do you play?" Draco asked curiously, directing his question at Caroline.

"I play the piano mostly and a bit of guitar," Caroline replied shyly. "Sam plays the guitar. Jenna plays the violin. All three of us sing."

"Quite well," McGonagall added. "You three must play for us some time. I do enjoy music."

The sisters exchanged grins. "Do any of you play?" Jenna asked the others politely.

"I play the piano," Hermione responded. "Harry learned to play the drums on his cousin's drumset."

"Is that so?" Jenna asked, her eyebrows raised in interest. She glanced at Draco. "How about you?" Draco gave a noncommital shrug, making the others eye him curiously.

"What type of music do you play?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Lots of different kinds," Sam told her, grinning at the way Draco was eyeing Caroline. "We try not to limit ourselves to one style."

"We can say that we don't do well with rap and hard rock," Jenna said with a little sigh. Caroline and Samantha chuckled.

"My goodness," McGonagall said. "I had no idea that I had hired so many talented professors. I really must hear all of you-" She was cut off when Professor Snape approached the group looking irritable, as always. "Any news Severus?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"None at all," Snape responded darkly. "The aurors can find no trace of him. But, I feel that it is safe to assume that his fate was not a pleasant one."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other in alarm. McGonagall sighed and turned to the others. "I invited Professor Freeman's sisters to join us for a reason," she said slowly. "We need your help. All of you."

"What's going on?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"I'm sure you've heard of the recent vampire attacks," McGonagall began, waiting to see them all nod. "Well, apparently there has been a massive uprising. Many of the Death Eaters that remained at large became vampires along with several other dark wizards. They are attempting to take over the wizarding world and eliminate those that would stand in their way. However, we do have a source on the inside of the vampire community."

The others, except for Draco, looked over at Snape. "Why do you assume it is me?" he snapped.

McGonagall snorted in amusement. "There have been rumors," she commented. At his glare she sobered a bit. "No, Severus is not the vampire. It is Lucius Malfoy."

The others gasped and shot startled looks at Draco. He sighed and ran one hand through his hair. "My father was bitten by one of the death eaters. He does not wish to take part in their plans. So, he has been passing information to the Order of the Phoenix," he explained.

"Or what's left of it," McGonagall said dryly. "Many of the Order died in the war, so we are at an obvious disadvantage." She swept her gaze over the group hopefully.

"You want us to fight?" Harry asked in a resigned tone. He had really hoped that that particular part of his life was over. It was the very reason that he had decided to teach rather than becoming an auror. "Is that why you hired us?"

"Not at all," McGonagall hastily assured him. "I hired all of you because you are highly qualified and capable. I could have asked for your help without hiring you."

"That's true," Hermione said with a nod and a tiny sigh. "But we've never been up against vampires. And these are vampires that are also wizards. They must be very powerful."

"They are," McGonagall agreed. "And that is why you will receive special training."

"From who?" Caroline asked.

"Me," Snape replied stiffly.

"Great," Harry muttered. "What sort of training?"

"Training in combat," McGongall replied. "You need to what your up against and to be prepared for anything."

"When do we start?" Samantha asked eagerly.

"Soon," McGonagall responded. "I will be sure to inform you of the date, time and location. I need to contact a few more people and set up a place for you to work. Also, Severus is attempting to create a potion to cure vampirism, or at least suppress some of the more inconvenient urges. It is the least we can do for Lucius and others who do not wish to be vampires."

"That sounds really difficult," Jenna commented doubtfully.

"Severus assures me that it is," McGonagall agreed, glancing briefly at Snape. "There may be times when he will require a second set of hands while working on this potion."

Harry glanced at Hermione, but was a little surprised when Jenna said "Caroline's really good at potions." Sam nodded in agreement.

Snape looked at Caroline with interest but she quickly shook her head. "No, I'm not that good," she denided hastily. "I always got good grades, but I had to work really hard. I certainly shouldn't be anyone's first choice as a potions assistant."

"That leaves us with Granger," Draco said with a smirk in Hermione's direction.

Snape rolled his eyes in aggravation. He had thought for one brief shining moment that he had escaped working with know-it-all Granger. With a quiet sigh of resignation he met Hermione's eyes. "Well, what say you Professor Granger?" he asked smoothly.

Hermione straightened her shoulders with determination. "I would be happy to help," she replied calmly. She could feel Harry's pitying gaze upon her, but refused to look at him. She was an adult now and she refused to be intimidated by Professor Snape.

"Thank you dear," McGonagall said gratefully. "I'll let you two handle the arrangements in that area."

"How kind of you," Snape muttered sardonically. He turned and stalked away, leaving the Great Hall. McGonagall nodded to the others and moved away to talk to Professor Sinistra and Professor Vector.

Jenna turned to look at her sisters. "I could listen to that man's voice all night," she said quietly.

"Who?" Draco asked blankly.

Jenna smirked. "Professor Snape," she replied. "I'd listen to that man read a phone book."

Draco looked puzzled while Hermione and Harry chuckled. "That's more than a little disturbing," Harry shuddered through his laughter.

"Something tells me that you don't really get along with him," Sam commented with a grin.

"Could it have been all of the looks of disgust?" Harry suggested, smirking.

"Or all the cringing?" Hermione added.

"I wasn't cringing," Harry objected.

"You were cringing," Caroline said matter-of-factly. She grinned when Harry glared at her.

Before Harry could retort a voice called his name. He turned to see Neville Longbottom jogging up to them. "Hiya Harry," Neville said smiling broadly.

"Hi Neville," Harry said. "What are you doing here?"

"Didn't they tell you? I'm going to be Professor Sprout's apprentice this year," Neville replied proudly. "She's retiring next year and I'll be taking over. Apparently Snape didn't know either. He looked very suprised to see me and started grumbling about McGonagall hiring buffoons behind his back."

Draco chuckled. "Professor Snape is going to have an interesting year," he said smirking. "Nearly half of his colleagues are ex-students. One of those former students is Longbottom. He has to train everyone in combat and he's got to brew a potion with Granger. I almost feel sorry for him."

"I don't," Harry grumbled, making the others chuckle.

"He's training everyone in combat?" Neville asked with a perplexed expression. "Whatever for?"

Hermione sighed and set about explaining the situation to Neville. Harry looked on with a thoughtful expression. He'd just gotten back to Hogwarts and it had already begun. He'd be heading back into battle at some point in the future. He looked over as Hermione introduced Neville to the Freeman sisters. Perhaps everything would be less difficult this time around since he probably no longer a direct target. There were no prophecies about him and a clan of vampires. Even if there were, he wouldn't want to hear them. He'd had enough of that for one lifetime.


	2. Arcanus

**Arcanus**

Hermione walked into the staff room looking harassed. She sat down at the table with a weary sigh before looking around at the room's other occupants. Harry, Draco and Caroline were drinking tea and looking a bit discomposed as well. Professor Snape was sitting at the table with her, reading the Daily Prophet. He acknowledged her presence with a tiny stiff nod.

Perhaps Azkaban had changed him more than she'd thought. Professor Snape had always seemed to prefer solitude, but there he was, sitting calmly among his co-workers. He wasn't being particularly social, but his willingness to tolerate the presence of his former students, especially Harry, was an improvement. He could have easily retreated to his office between classes.

"Rough day Hermione?" Caroline asked, pulling Hermione from her thoughts.

Hermione nodded. "I'm so glad that I have only one more class today," she admitted. "Some of these students are just ridiculous. One second year hufflepuff was actually holding his book upside down and I'm not so sure that he was joking."

Snape snorted in amusement, drawing the attention of the other teachers. "You must be referring to Christopher Nalley," he said, turning a page in the Prophet without looking up. "I am greatly anticipating the day that he fails his potions OWL so I will no longer be forced to put up with the little twit."

Hermione groaned and rubbed her temples tiredly. "I just didn't expect all of them to be so... inattentive," she said. "It was the first day of class and they never even attempted to focus on the lesson."

"A bit like having a class full of Potters and Weasleys," Snape commented with a smirk.

"A bit, yeah," Hermione admitted, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Hermione!" Harry protested while Draco chuckled.

"Honestly Harry," Hermione said shaking her head. "During history of magic, you and Ron never even tried to pay attention."

"Well, you've got me there," Harry agreed with a grin. Caroline shook her head.

"How was your day?" Hermione asked Caroline curiously.

"Better than Harry's," Caroline responded with an impish grin.

At Hermione's questioning look, Harry sighed. "It was a fiasco," he muttered. "The pointing and whispering started as soon as I walked into the classroom."

"Maybe they were talking about how ridiculous your hair looks," Draco suggested, nonchalantly taking a sip of tea. Caroline giggled.

Harry ignored him. "There were many requests for autographs," he said, looking unsettled. "And, one of the seventh years made a pass at me."

"All in a day's work, eh Potter?" Draco said with a smirk. "Tell me, was it a female student?"

"It's not funny," Harry growled. "I'll be supervising detentions every night for the rest of the year."

"Nonsense Potter," said Professor McGonagall, stepping into the staff room. "As the new head of Gryffindor house, you need to whip them into shape. As they say, 'Show them who's boss'."

"I will," Harry said. He glanced at his watch and saw that he still had a bit of free time before he had to be back in his classroom. "Is everything alright Professor McGonagall?" he asked.

"Oh yes. And please, call me Minerva. We're all adults here," the headmistress said. "I was actually looking for Severus." When Snape met her eyes she said "Some of your Slytherins were stirring up trouble in the common room. Will you see to them before your next class? I have a lot to do at the moment."

"Of course Minerva," Snape responded, rising from his chair. He nodded shortly to the others and then followed Minerva out into the hall.

Hermione watched Snape leave with a thoughtful expression. She turned her gaze to Harry when he said "I thought that Snape would be in his office or lab between classes."

"He spends more time among people these days," Draco said, glancing briefly at the chair that Snape had vacated. "He's still not very friendly, but he's less keen to spend his time alone."

"I imagine being locked up in Azkaban would mess with your head a bit," Harry commented.

"That's so sad," Caroline said while Hermione nodded in agreement.

"My father thinks that Snape just needs a good shag," Draco said with a smirk. At Caroline's frown of distaste, he quickly added "I personally think he needs to find himself a girlfriend. He's been alone for too long and a companion would be good for him."

"Well, he must be lonely if he's willing to be in the staff room with us," Harry said.

"Speak for yourself," Draco retorted. "He likes me and he doesn't know Caroline. It's you two he can't stand," he added, gesturing at Harry and Hermione.

"I don't know about that," Caroline said slowly. "He nearly laughed at Hermione's comment about Christopher Nalley and he gave his opinion without being prompted at all. Really, I think the poor man just needs friends."

"Are you volunteering for the job?" Draco asked her with raised eyebrows and a little smirk.

"Yes," Caroline replied. "And I think ya'll should too."

"Ya'll?" Harry muttered, but the others ignored him.

"I'm not sure Professor Snape would be very receptive to that," Hermione said doubtfully.

"But, it can't hurt to try," Caroline persisted. "We've got nothing to lose for being nice to him. He may surprise us all."

Hermione frowned in thought as she rose from her chair to meet with her next class. The concept of being friends with Severus Snape was an odd one indeed. However, he had been polite and had spoken to them in a civil manner. An attempt to be more friendly with the Potions Master would surely be harmless. If she gained nothing else, she could at least feel good in the knowledge that she was doing what she could to be kind to a lonely man.

* * *

Draco managed to convince Snape to go to the Hogshead for a few drinks to celebrate the end of the first week of the term. They sat at a table and discussed classes and the recent vampire trouble. Hearing a familiar voice, Snape and Draco looked around to see that Harry, Hermione and Caroline had just entered the pub. Harry was telling some story in a rather animated fashion while Hermione rolled her eyes and Caroline laughed.

"Ah, here come your new friends," Snape said with a sneer. He watched as they stopped at the bar to order drinks.

"You know, they aren't so bad," Draco mused. "Granger is still neurotic and works too much, and Potter is... well, Potter. But, they are quite funny at times and can hold a decent, intelligent conversation."

"And Freeman?" Snape asked with a smirk. "What is between yourself and Professor Freeman?"

"Nothing yet," Draco replied. "But, I intend to change that."

"Minerva will have your head on a platter if you go about making 'conquests' at Hogwarts," Snape warned the younger man.

"I'm not," Draco retorted, scowling. "It's only Caroline." He paused and then asked "What about you?"

"What?" Snape asked.

"Any thoughts on settling down?" Draco asked. Snape snorted, making Draco roll his eyes. "I think you ought to find yourself a girlfriend, or a lover. Why not? You're not spying anymore. The war ended ten years ago. You could start a family.

"Right," Snape drawled sarcastically. "There are women beating down my door and I need only to select one from the masses."

Draco released a long suffering sigh. "I'm just telling you to be open to the possibility," he said in exasperation. "Don't close yourself off. The perfect woman may be right under your nose."

"I will keep that in mind," Snape replied with a sneer.

Draco rolled his eyes but then smiled as Caroline, Harry and Hermione approached. Snape stiffened a bit, but said nothing. "Hi Draco. Hello Professor Snape," Caroline said brightly. "Having a nice evening?"

"Delightful," Snape drawled.

"Not bad," Draco said lightly. "Have a seat." He gestured to the table and looked at the three newcomers expectantly.

Caroline dropped into the empty cheer next to Draco and then looked at Harry and Hermione. They hesitated for a moment, glancing uncertainly at Snape, and then sat down. Hermione had taken the chair next to Professor Snape and Harry sat between her and Caroline.

"How was your week Professor Snape?" Hermione asked, turning to face him.

"It could have been worse," he said dryly and, to his surprise, Hermione grinned.

"Indeed," she agreed. "I'm sure next week will be much better. The students will be back in their routine," she added bracingly.

Snape eyed her doubtfully. "Many of the students are like that year round," he told her with a smirk.

Hermione groaned and rubbed her temples. "Oh god, they are, aren't they?" she muttered.

Harry nudged Hermione's drink a little closer to her while Snape said "Welcome to the joys of teaching."

Caroline laughed and shook her head. "Oh, don't be like that," she chuckled. "We'll get used to it. Teaching is obviously something that we all wanted to do, and it'll be worth it."

"Oh yes, I'm sure that all of this will pay off at any time now," Snape quipped, taking a sip of his firewhiskey.

Caroline and Hermione laughed at his comment, making him look up in mild surprise. Even Harry was hiding a smile behind his tumbler of firewhiskey. It was odd to be sitting with this particular group of people without earning several furious glares in his direction.

Draco smirked at Snape's slightly bewildered expression. Deciding to keep the conversation moving, Draco said "I believe the ladies need more drinks." He inclined his head toward Hermione and Caroline's nearly empty bottles of butterbeer. "We gentlemen," he motioned between himself and Snape "and Potter," he indicated Harry, "will take turns buying you drinks," he told the girls.

Harry made a rude hand gesture toward Draco, earning a smack on the back of the head from Hermione. Snape rolled his eyes and rose from his chair, indicating that he would get the first round. He gave Draco and Harry a look that clearly said "You can get your own damn drinks."

He returned to the table carrying two bottles of butterbeer. Stopping at Caroline's chair he said "Professor Freeman," presenting her with one of the bottles.

"Thank you," she said politely, accepting the bottle. "But, will you please call me Caroline?"

"As you wish Caroline," he said smoothly. Returning to his own chair he passed Hermione the second bottle.

"Thank you," Hermione said quietly.

"You are welcome," Snape replied. After a moment, he added "I assume that you do not object to your proper title."

Hermione glanced at Caroline and then back at Snape. "Of course not," she responded. "But, I think I would prefer for you to call me Hermione. All of the students call me Professor Granger, you see. There's no need for my colleagues to do the same."

Snape gave a small nod, not really knowing how else to respond. Harry looked mildly impressed. It was a small step, but progress was progress, especially when it came to Snape.

Snape eyed his companions thoughtfully. Potter seemed less like his father than Snape had assumed and had matured a great deal since his school days. Hermione had always been more mature, but she also seemed to have outgrown her tendency to show-off. She had also tamed that wild hair of hers. In fact, she had grown into a very attractive woman; Not that Snape cared anything about that.

"How are things going with the preparations for training?" Caroline asked curiously.

"It is tedious," Snape said flatly. "We have a meeting tomorrow evening once the students are in bed. Nearly all of Dumbledore's Army has been recalled for training, but many are hesitant to join us. "

"Why?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"They seemed to think it was a little strange for Dumbledore's Army to reform without Potter leading it as before," Snape explained. "Minerva has not announced that I will be training them."

Hermione winced. "That could be a problem," she muttered. Nearly all of Dumbledore's Army had been Gryffindors and apt to greatly dislike the surly potions master. "Have you discussed solutions?"

Snape sighed irritably, but it was not really directed at Hermione. "Minerva thought our plan may be accepted more easily if Potter once again leads the way. She wishes for us to work as a team to train everyone. Apparently his methods were effective while you were in school."

Hermione nodded but Harry said "I had a lot of help. Hermione was always looking for new spells for us to work on. I would have run out of ideas very quickly if it hadn't been for her." He smiled at Hermione and then took another sip of his drink.

"We'll probably need all the help we can get," Caroline muttered.

Snape nodded in agreement. "We will cover as many areas as possible," he assured her.

"When do we start?" Hermione asked.

"Tomorrow," Snape said.

"So soon?" Draco asked in surprise.

"We have no time to lose," Snape said heavily. "The longer we wait, the more innocent people will suffer. They are recruiting very quickly." He sighed. "It is difficult to get new information as well. Lucius can only provide us with so much."

They all sat in silence, considering their situation. After a moment, Caroline smiled slyly. "I may have a solution," she said quietly. The others leaned in, focused intently on her next words. Caroline looked around briefly and then leaned toward her companions. "Arcanus," she whispered.

Realization dawned on Draco's face, while the others looked perplexed. "It's a sort of pub," he explained impatiently. "The Freeman's own it along with one of their American friends. There are wards in place that prevent you from using magic within the establishment. It attracts all sorts of people. The Freeman's sing there quite often"

"And?" Snape prompted in an irritated tone.

"It's a good place to gather information," Caroline said with a smirk. "The wards recognize my magical signature, as well as my sisters', and it allows me to continue to use magic within the walls. We've managed to create a sort of safe haven for many strange characters. Of course, when alcohol is involved, they get too comfortable and the secrets come tumbling out. It can be quite handy."

"Have the vampires entered the establishment?" Snape asked.

"I believe so," she said with a little nod. "The wards allow minor charms to pass through that conceal identity, but my sister's and I can sense when someone is not what they seem."

"Brilliant!" Harry said, grinning broadly. "Will we go there?"

"It sounds like an amazing place, but we wouldn't want to draw attention to ourselves," Hermione said uncertainly.

"Oh it's fine," Caroline said, waving her hand dismissively. "Arcanus is a neutral zone. It wouldn't be strange for you to be there and the wards prevent anyone from hexing you. Plus, you'd have protection from us."

"Will you sing for us?" Draco asked, grinning.

"Only if you're good," Caroline said primly, swallowing the last of her butterbeer.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well, that's no fun," he muttered.

Harry laughed. "Shut up and buy the ladies another drink," he said, shooing Draco toward the bar with a smirk.


	3. The First Meeting

**The First Meeting**

Hermione walked through the hallways at Severus Snape's side, trying her best to keep pace with his long strides. They'd had a brief meeting about the potion that they'd be working on and were now going to meet with the DA for the first time. "I hope they are not all as idiotic as I remember them," Snape muttered.

"My thoughts exactly," Hermione responded with a small smile. When she saw Snape glance at her in question she went on. "Some of them were a bit ridiculous in school. They came through in a pinch, but I would really prefer not to risk it. We really can't afford any mistakes this time."

Snape snorted derisively. "We couldn't afford mistakes last time," he reminded her.

"Yes well, I was off with Harry and Ron for several months before that battle," she said. "We were so busy that we didn't really have time to consider the fact that we were completely off our heads to be in the middle of that fight."

"Indeed," Snape agreed.

"Really, it's no wonder that Mrs. Weasley was a nervous wreck," Hermione went on. "I can't imagine being a parent with a child involved in a war."

"Imagine being a teacher trying to keep his dunderhead students alive when they're determined to be involved in said war," Snape retorted.

Hermione giggled softly. "You're my hero Professor Snape," she replied with a playful grin.

Snape eyed her for a moment and then said "It hardly seems fair for you to continue to call me 'Professor' when you have demanded for me to use your given name."

Hermione looked up in surprise. "I demanded nothing," she retorted. "It was a request. And I just thought you would not appreciate my use of your first name. But, I have no problem with calling you Severus."

At that moment, they reached the doors leading to the Great Hall. They could hear a great deal of noise coming from inside. "That doesn't sound very promising," Hermione said anxiously, hearing several raised voices.

Severus pulled his wand out of his robes and nodded for Hermione to do the same. He pushed the doors open and led the way inside, holding his wand free arm out to keep Hermione behind him. Once inside he halted and stared at the scene before him. Hermione looked over his shoulder and she gasped at the sight. Caroline and Jenna Freeman had a firm grip on Samantha, apparently preventing her from attacking Seamus Finnegan. Hermione heard Seamus say something about Americans and she was certain that is wasn't a compliment, judging by the expression on his face and the reactions of the Freemans. Caroline and Jenna glared at Seamus and then exchanged a mischievous look. At the same time, they released Sam and watched her launch herself at Seamus and knock him to the floor.

Hermione's mouth fell open with shock and Snape snorted in amusement. She whirled around to face him, saying "What do we do?"

"It looks as if she has a handle on it," he replied, gesturing to where Sam was grappling with Seamus while other people were shouting and arguing around them.

Hermione rolled her eyes impatiently. "We can't just let them fight it out Severus," she retorted.

"Fine," he said in a bored tone. Turning to face the crowd he shouted "Enough!" Everyone froze and looked over at Snape and Hermione. Sam rose and took a step away from Seamus, looking completely unapologetic. Seamus shot to his feet and glared at her, but didn't dare to interrupt Snape. "Stop this childish behavior right now. What is the meaning of this?" He glared furiously at the crowd as they shifted uncomfortably.

"Most of them feel that I shouldn't be here," Draco drawled irritably. "They called me a traitor. In fact, they became even more upset when they found out that you'll be involved in this as well."

"Well, I daresay that they will detest training under me," the potions master sneered.

"He's in charge?" someone demanded angrily.

"Not entirely," Professor McGonagall said, striding forward with a disapproving expression. "Though I will expect all of you to show Professor Snape the proper respect, I will allow Professor Potter to reclaim his position as the leader of the DA. It seemed only fitting."

"Harry Potter would never ask us to work with that traitor!" a voice shouted, stirring others to loudly voice their agreement.

A loud, shrill whistle silenced everyone and they turned to see Harry gripping his old whistle tightly in his hand. He'd kept it over the years and had thought that it may be useful at this DA reunion. He was right; Everyone turned their attention to him. "Professor Snape is not a traitor," he said firmly. "He was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix and he saved me more times than I can count."

"Is there any proof?" Dean Thomas asked coolly.

"There's a great deal of proof," Harry said slowly. "Enough for the ministry to clear him of all charges."

"Well, what is it?" Seamus asked impatiently. "You obviously know what it is."

"That information is classified," Harry replied evenly, trying not to shout.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Seamus demanded.

"It means that it's none of your damn business," Sam snapped. Before Seamus could respond, Hermione interrupted them.

"It is not necessary to share Professor Snape's information," she said sternly. "What matters is that he was found innocent by the ministry and has worked hard to protect Harry and several others, including myself. We will respect his privacy. If you have a problem with it, then leave. This is too important for us to argue over matters that have already been resolved." She folded her arms over her chest, her wand held tightly in one hand.

"Those of you who choose to leave, may do so now," McGonagall said stiffly. No one moved. Looking a bit relieve, McGonagall continued. "Very well. There is much to do, so I suggest that you set aside your differences and allow us to get to work." She turned to Harry expectantly, giving him an encouraging nod.

Harry cleared his throat, drawing attention back to himself. "We have a lot of work to do," he said folding his arms in front of his chest. "We'll review old spells as well as experimenting with new ones. Professor Snape and I have also agreed that it would be best to do a bit of physical training as well."

"Like some muggle army?" someone asked in a tone of surprise.

"It would be best to be in top form when faced with such an enemy," Snape replied, his dark eyes scanning the crowd for the person who spoke. "You must be faster, stronger and more clever than your opponent. We wish to prepare in every way possible."

"We will be splitting into teams in the near future," Harry added. "You will learn to work with your teammates in case there is ever a need for us to go on smaller missions. Any questions?"

Everyone looked around at each other uneasily until George rubbed his hands together briskly and said "When do we start?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged grins. "Right now," Harry said firmly. "Everyone pair off!" His command was followed immediately. Everyone scrambled to grab a partner, with the exception of Hermione who seemed a bit reluctant to pair herself with Ron. Coming to her rescue Harry said "Ron, go help Neville. I have something else for Hermione to do." Ron gave them a thumbs up and jogged toward Neville.

"Thanks Harry," Hermione murmured gratefully.

"How about a demonstration first?" George suggested, looking from Harry to Severus expectantly.

Harry hesitated, casting an anxious look at Severus. "I don't think it would be wise for me to duel with Professor Snape," he muttered. Severus smirked in response.

"I'll do it," Hermione said. Harry whirled around to face her with a surprised look. Severus was eyeing her with an unreadable expression.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked her.

"Yes," Hermione said steadily, looking over at Snape calmly. She turned back to Harry with a small smile. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Harry nodded in approval and then gestured toward Severus as if to say "Well, get on with it." Hermione moved to stand in front of Severus, meeting his gaze unwaveringly. Without a word, they got into position and everyone else backed away, forming a circle around the pair. Minerva quickly used her wand to create a barrier around Hermione and Severus to protect the onlookers from stray hexes.

Hermione and Severus slowly circled one another, their wands held steadily in front of themselves. They looked as if they were sizing each other up. Hermione cast the first spell, which was easily side-stepped by Severus. He returned fire, but her shield charm forced him to dodge his own spell again. Spells flew back and forth rapidly, creating a dazzling display of color and lights for the observers.

After several minutes, Severus was able to hit Hermione with a spell. She fell back into the barrier and nearly fell over, but quickly regained her balance. She fired her own spell and managed to throw Severus into the barrier as well. He looked quite stunned to suddenly have his back against an invisible wall. Then, he smirked in amusement, surprising everyone and causing Hermione to grin in return.

Hermione waved her wand in the air and the protective barrier dissipated. Minerva crowed in delight, startling several of her ex-students. "My dear I have never seen someone hold their own against Severus Snape like that," she told Hermione. "Well, done. And Severus, you are as impressive as ever. The DA should be thankful to have you."

"We are," Hermione said firmly, glaring at the people around her as if daring them to contradict her. "Anything you can teach us will be greatly appreciated," she added, looking back at Severus. Severus nodded, but didn't speak. He just continued to watch Hermione with a thoughtful frown.

"Alright, Neville," Harry said loudly. "Come over here with Ron and we'll see what you can do and what we need to improve."

As Neville and Ron came forward, Severus groaned. "This is going to take a while," he muttered.

* * *

_And the fun begins... Tell me what you think._


	4. The First Mission

**The First Mission**

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks of uncertainty as the Freeman's motioned toward a door in the dark alley. "Let's go," Sam said impatiently, wondering at their sudden hesitation.

"This looks a little dodgy," Hermione said quietly, glancing around anxiously. She hadn't been sure of what to expect of Arcanum, but a heavy, rusted door in a dingy alley didn't look very promising.

Sam waved her hand dismissively. "We don't want muggles to come this way too often," she explained. "It's supposed to look abandoned. It's perfectly respectable on the inside," she added with a prim little nod.

Caroline stepped forward and tapped the doorknob with her wand. She turned the knob and pulled the door open before stepping aside to allow her guests to enter first. Hermione and Ginny passed through the doorway, followed by Harry, Draco and Severus. The Freemans brought up the rear, watching the expressions of the others.

"Brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed, her eyes darting everywhere. The dimly lit room was enormous. There was a bar with comfy looking barstools and many tables bearing candles. The dance floor was spacious and looked perfectly polished despite all of the dancers. There were three pool tables near the far wall and two more tables for Exploding Snap. There was a band on the large stage, playing rock music while lights flashed over the dancing witches and wizards.

Sam looked around with a satisfied smile. "We pride ourselves on the decency of our business and it's patrons," she said to Hermione. She scowled when one of those patrons suddenly fell out of his chair, landing at her feet, laughing raucously. Sam scowled down at him. "Would you mind not being an idiot while I'm trying to impress the newcomers?" she snapped. "Enjoy your time here, but you've had enough to drink for tonight." She looked up, making eye contact with a burly looking bartender. She pointed at the drunken man as he hauled himself to his feet, still giggling to himself. The bartender rolled his eyes and nodded his understanding.

Caroline sighed. "Most of our patrons know to behave themselves while here," she said. "We have a zero tolerance policy for dueling, lewd behavior and streaking."

Snape's eyes snapped to Caroline while Draco chuckled. "Streaking?" Snape asked with an expression of revulsion.

Jenna snorted with laughter. "There's this guy," she managed to choke out, "that comes in every couple of weeks. He strips down and goes running through the club. So, we kick him out."

"Why do you keep letting him in?" Ginny asked giggling.

"It's the bouncers," Jenna replied. "They think it's funny, so they let him slide on in. They're quick to give him the boot once he gets naked, but it's so ridiculous that you can't help but laugh."

"As if on cue," Sam muttered, pointing toward a dark corner.

Harry squinted at the dark corner and managed to spot a mad looking wizard swiftly removing all of his clothing. Once he was nude, he straightened and grinned. He stretched his arms above his head and jogged in place, as if warming up. Once he was finished he started running through the dancing couples as squeals of surprise and disgust mixed with laughter.

"There he goes," Sam said dully, rolling her eyes. Severus stared incredulously at the strange man weaving his way through the crowd while Hermione flushed with embarrassment. Harry, Ginny and Draco were clutching at their sides and laughing.

Just as Sam turned to summon one of the bouncers, a young man jogged up to her, seizing her attention. "The naked guy is back," the man said, a smirk curling on his lips.

"Yes, Andy," Caroline said. "Everyone saw the naked guy just now. Just get rid of him."

"William," Andy called, waving over a very large man. "Crazy Naked Guy is back. Give him the boot." The man called William grinned wickedly and then stomped off to retrieve the streaker.

"Perfectly respectable indeed," Snape grumbled.

"Sorry about that," Caroline said ruefully. She glanced at Andy and then turned to her friends. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Andy. He helps us run this place."

"Welcome to Arcanus everyone," Andy said, flashing a brilliant smile at the newcomers. His accent was very similar to that of the Freeman sisters. He was wearing jeans, sandals and a dark blue short-sleeved polo shirt. His short brown hair and blue eyes were very attractive with his tan skin.

The others murmured their greetings and introduced themselves briefly. Once that was done, Andy turned to Caroline. "Are you going up tonight?" he asked seriously.

"We came in with friends Andy," Caroline said, as if this closed the subject.

"I've had people begging for you three," Andy persisted. "I'm sure your friends would love to hear you. What could it hurt to do one song?"

Caroline looked at Sam and Jenna for a moment. "One song, Andy," she said firmly. "I didn't plan to perform tonight. We came to do a little research and I need to speak to you about something."

"That's fine," Andy said, relief showing on his face. "I'll go set up once The Chimaeras finish this song." He hurried toward the stage leaving Caroline looking a bit disgruntled.

"It'll be fun Caroline," Jenna said quietly.

Hermione frowned thoughtfully but didn't comment. She had been under the impression that Caroline enjoyed performing. It seemed a little strange that she was hesitant to do so now. She cut a glance at Snape and noticed that he was wearing a contemplative expression as well. He met her eye for a brief moment before eyeing the Freemans once again.

Hermione musings were interrupted when Andy's voice rose above all of the noise. He was now standing on the stage wearing a big smile. "The Freeman sisters have agreed to give you all a little treat for coming out tonight," he announced, grinning even more broadly at the cheers that followed his proclamation. "Let's welcome Caroline, Samantha and Jenna to the stage!" He held his arm out toward the sisters dramatically as the crowd cheered.

Caroline sighed before hitching on a winning smile for the audience. She stepped up to the keyboard and adjusted the microphone as Sam and Jenna picked up electric guitars. Andy slid onto a stool behind the drum set and watched attentively for Caroline's signal.

The young women played effortlessly. Andy was a talented drummer, but it would be difficult for anyone to recognize that fact when he shared the stage with the Freeman sisters. Caroline's delicate fingers flew across the keys while her sister's handled the guitars as if they were merely extensions of their own arms. Their bodies swayed slightly with the music, matching the rhythm of Andy's exuberant drumming.

When Caroline began singing, Hermione's mouth dropped open in surprise. The pure sounds she produced were almost painfully beautiful. Something about Caroline's voice seemed to pull you in. When Sam and Jenna joined in, Hermione just stared in wide eyed wonder. They harmonized with perfect pitch and with more skill than Hermione had thought possible.

When the Freeman's had finished their final note, silence descended on the club for a brief moment. In the next moment, the room erupted in applause and cheers.

Ginny's voice suddenly broke through Hermione's revere, startling her. "That was unbelievable," Ginny said, her voice full of awe. "There was just something about that song…" She trailed off, unsure of how to continue that thought.

Before Hermione could voice her agreement, Ron appeared at her side. "Hiya!" he said brightly. "That was brilliant," he commented nodding toward the stage.

"Absolutely," Ginny agreed enthusiastically. She looked around briefly and then said "Is anyone else here?"

"Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Cho, Neville and Luna are all here somewhere," Ron said, looking around. "I thought I spotted a few others dancing. Ah, there's Neville," he added as he spotted Neville hurrying toward them.

"Hermione," Neville gasped, trying to catch his breath.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, her brow creased with concern.

"Heard something," Neville muttered to her, glancing around apprehensively. "I don't want to be overheard repeating it."

"Let's not discuss it here," Harry said, firmly. "We'll hang around for a while and then we'll return to Hogwarts to go over everything."

"Just don't forget," Ron told Neville with a smirk.

Neville frowned anxiously but Hermione patted him on the shoulder. "It'll be fine Neville," she said, giving Ron a pointed look. "If there's a problem, we could have Professor Snape use Legilimency or the pensieve. However, I don't think that will be necessary," she added, seeing Neville's face pale at the mention of Snape.

The group did their best to blend in with the crowd. As they neared the dancers, one young woman bumped into Snape and nearly stumbled but his hand automatically came up to take hold of her arm. She blinked in surprise and then resumed her dancing, her hips gyrating seductively to the music while a coy smile curved her lips. Her hands started at her hips and then drifted up slowly, caressing her own body until she reached her neck. Then she reached out to tug playfully on the front of Snape's robes.

"Woman, kindly remove yourself from my person," he snarled at her. The woman was quite affronted by his rejection but tossed her head haughtily and returned to her former dance partner, who was very pleased to have her attentions returned to himself.

"You've certainly got a way with the ladies Severus," Caroline said, surprising the others with her sudden appearance.

Hermione bit down on her lip to hide her smile and then hastily said "That song was wonderful Caroline."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Caroline said with a smile. "Did ya'll get any useful information?" she asked, swiftly changing the subject.

"Neville's got some news for us," Harry said quietly, leaning toward Caroline and glancing around cautiously.

"Already?" Caroline asked, surprised. "Well, that didn't take long. Let's just hope it's what we need. Why don't we step into the office back here and apparate out?"

"We can just take the floo to our apartment," Sam suggested.

"Alright," Harry agreed with a nod. They hurried to gather everyone from their group and then the Freemans led the way to a door that was labeled with a small sign that said "Office". The door closed behind them with a sharp snap and they disappeared into the fireplace one by one.


	5. Revelation

**Revelation**

The living room in Jenna and Samantha's apartment was unusually full. Snape had summoned McGonagall through the floo to join on this discussion. She had insisted that he go to the Hideaway with the others, but declined to join them, which irritated the potions master to no end. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione sat close to each other, just like they had while in school. The difference was, Draco now sat with them as well. Neville sat next to Jenna, listening to her talk about her most recent haircut with a slightly dazed expression on his face. Draco found it endlessly amusing.

Caroline and Samantha served refreshments to everyone and then sat down to wait for the meeting to begin. Taking their cue, Harry cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "Alright everyone," he said seriously, "while at the Hideaway, Neville gathered a bit of information for us. Fighting against vampires is new territory for The Order so, let's stay focused. Let's hear what you've got Neville."

"I was sitting at a table with Seamus and Dean," Neville explained. "There were two blokes at the next table talking. I overheard them discussing someone named Grant. It sounded like Grant is the leader. He's looking for something that they were calling a 'triad'." Neville frowned in thought. "The two men didn't seem to know who this triad is, and Grant is apparently refusing to tell his followers."

"Wait," Hermione interjected hastily. "You said 'who'... So it's a person and not a thing."

"Right," Neville agreed with a nod. "It's three people or maybe a group divided into three sub-groups. They didn't seem sure of that part."

"It doesn't sound as if they were sure of anything," Harry muttered irritably. This information was nearly nothing to go on. "How can his followers not know who they're looking for? Do they know why this guy Grant wants the triad?"

"I imagine that it would be very bad news for us if this man finds whoever he is after," Ginny observed with concern.

"Right," Harry said with a nod. He sighed. "So, we haven't really gotten far with this. We can't work against him if we don't know what he's after and why."

Draco frowned in thought. "Maybe we could..." He paused when his gaze fell on Caroline. "Caroline, are you all right?"

Every eye darted to Caroline's face. Her skin was deathly pale and she looked a bit nauseated. Sam and Jenna were at her side in a flash, helping her out of her seat. "I think Caroline has gotten a little too warm," Jenna said, waving her hand dismissively at all the looks of concern. "We'll get her some fresh air." The three sisters hurried from the room and out the front door.

Andy cleared his throat and rose from his chair. "I'll see if I can get anything for Caroline," he said, swiftly following the Freemans out the door.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked, bewildered. "Is she ill?"

"There are a lot of people in this room," Draco said uncertainly. "She's probably just a little claustrophobic." He didn't sound convincing, even to himself.

"Something is not right," Snape said pensively. His eyes were locked on the doorway. "She is terrified of something. Her hands were shaking violently."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "They know something," she said. She cast a glance at Harry and then Snape. "I'd never want to invade their privacy, but we have to know. There could be too much at stake."

The group sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, wondering how to handle such a delicate situation. They were startled when Sam stormed back into the living room, her expression grim. "We need to talk," she said firmly, her jaw tight in her determination.

"Sam," Andy said in a warning tone, rushing into the room. He looked furious and a little bit frightened. Jenna and Caroline came in behind him, their arms linked together for support. Caroline looked more steady, but still very pale. "Stop this now Sam," Andy commanded angrily.

"Back off Andy," Sam growled. "Look at her," she demanded, gesturing to Caroline. "I won't do this anymore. I will not run. I will not watch my sister continue to suffer. Obviously something needs to change." Her tone softened as she looked him in the eye. "I appreciate your concern. We love you and you know that. But, we want a little peace."

Andy sighed in resignation, and patted Samantha's shoulder to show his support. Sam turned to her sisters, relieved to see their nods of approval. She looked around the circle of wizards sitting in her apartment, with faces full of concern and alarm. She took a deep breath, and said "We're not who you think we are."

Professor McGonagall looked even more startled at this declaration, exchanging an apprehensive look with Snape. "What on earth do you mean?" she asked anxiously.

Sam sighed and seemed to struggle to find the words to use. "We know Grant personally," she said carefully. "Actually, he was dating Caroline for a while. At that time, he was not yet a vampire. When he discovered the truth about us, he tried to take advantage of us. He was after power, obviously. We could keep him at bay easily, but once he became a vampire he was so much stronger. He started to gather followers."

Sam paused in contemplation again, causing Ron to growl in frustration. "Who the bloody hell are you?" he demanded. He cringed when Hermione slapped the back of his head. He looked over at her, meeting her furious, disapproving glare. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Please continue."

Sam glanced back at her sisters, obviously uncertain of how to proceed. "This will be really hard to believe," Jenna said. "We are descended from the Sirens."

Silence followed this statement. Finally Harry said "Er... What?" Snape rolled his eyes.

"I've read about Sirens in Greek Mythology," Hermione said, her gaze shifting between the Freeman sisters in speculation. "They were said to be a cross between women and birds. They would lure sailors to crash their ships into the rocks of the cliff with their song." After a pause she added "I've never read anything about them producing children."

Jenna nodded, looking unsurprised. "Our existence has been closely guarded," she said. "We are Sirens, but we are also witches."

"How did that happen?" Hermione asked. "The Siren's were all female, and anyone who got near their island was lured there by their song. Their ships would have been destroyed. Unless they rode brooms," Hermione added.

"The only man, that we know of, to make it to that island was deaf," Caroline spoke up. She blushed slightly as everyone focused on her. "He was a wizard and no one really knows how he managed to seduce one of the Sirens. Perhaps he was viewed as a sort of pet for them," she said with a little shrug. "In any case, they allowed him to remain long enough for a child to be born. Eventually, he left the island with the child."

Harry glanced at Hermione, unsure of what to think of all this. "There are a lot of holes in that story," he said carefully, his expression apologetic.

Caroline sighed, weariness evident on her face. "We know," she agreed. "It was so long ago and so much of our history was lost. Many people were obliviated and records were destroyed to protect this secret."

Hermione looked as if the thought of destroying records was deeply unsettling. "Why go to such lengths to keep it secret?" she asked. "You've lost nearly all of your history."

"Because, it's not safe for them," said Andy, stepping forward with a frown. "They have all the abilities of regular wizards, but they have other powers at their disposal that others would never be able to master. Didn't you feel it tonight at the Hideaway?"

Hermione and Snape looked at one another, each feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Their music was very..." Hermione searched her mind for an adequate word.

"Compelling," Snape suggested quietly. Hermione nodded in fervent agreement.

"They weren't even trying," Andy proclaimed, his admiration for the Freemans showing clearly in his enthusiasm. "That was just a taste. Their song can have such overwhelming power. If they wanted to, they could pick up where their ancestors left off, luring men to their deaths. Music is a magic of it's own, but when wielded by these three..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the sisters.

"So, where do you come in?" Harry asked him.

"Andy is the Guardian," Sam replied with a smile. "Guardians are very carefully selected. We have to be able to trust them completely. There was more at one time, but the number was limited many generations ago." She grinned and added "Sirens have trust issues, for obvious reasons. The lure of power is a huge temptation."

"So I was chosen as their Guardian," Andy said "to guard their secrets, protect them and recruit more guardians if they are in more danger than I can handle. I'd like to say otherwise, but a hoard of vampires and their power crazed vampire leader may be beyond my skill," he added with a smile. His smile faltered when he looked around at all of the dumbfounded expressions.

"I realize this is information overload," Caroline said quietly, looking around at her friends and co-workers. "I honestly understand any discomfort with all of this." She looked at her sisters, who gave her a quick nod in unison. "We're going to step outside for a few minutes. This sort of openness is a kind of new to us, and it's a little exhausting. That will give you some privacy to talk. We can set up another meeting for a later date if you like. Just let us know." She moved toward the door, followed by her sisters. She paused and looked back at the headmistress. "Professor McGonagall, I will be resigning my post. I'm so sorry for the misrepresentation." With that said, she swiftly walked out the door.

Harry rubbed his temples and looked around at everyone else. "I'm not sure what I expected," he said "but it certainly wasn't that."

"Indeed," Snape agreed, looking distinctly ruffled. He hated being caught off guard. He didn't think he'd ever been so blind-sided before.

Ginny cleared her throat nervously. "Did anybody else get the impression that Andy would obliviate everyone of us in a heartbeat if we were less than accepting of this?" she said quietly.

Hermione nodded but looked a bit less concerned. "Honestly, I would expect nothing less," she admitted. "It's his duty to protect them. If he felt that we could betray or harm them in any way, I'd think less of him if he didn't wipe our memories." Her gaze settled on Snape as she pondered. "The situation must be terribly dire for them to breach their own security like that. I don't even want to imagine what Grant thinks to accomplish by gaining power over them."

"So now we must to decide how we are to proceed," Snape said simply, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. In his opinion, there was little choice in the matter.


	6. The Guardians

**The Guardians**

Hermione was pacing the living room floor and wringing her hands anxiously. Harry's eyes followed her progress for a moment before he looked over at Professor Snape. "I'm at a loss," Harry admitted in resignation. "What are your thoughts Professor Snape?"

Snape's brow was furrowed in thought. After a pause he said "I feel that we have very few options in this case. Unless you'd like to kill them all and save us the trouble." Ignoring the eye rolling that followed this statement, he continued. "Disloyalty to the Freemans would likely result in having our memories erased or altered. If somehow that is not the outcome, it would be because we killed them."

At this, Hermione could not help but laugh. She had even stopped pacing. Draco smirked and then looked over at Snape, who appeared to be a bit surprised but smug. "I'm sorry," Hermione said, attempting to stifle her giggles. "Please go on Severus," she said pressing her lips together and clasping her hands behind her back.

Severus nodded, smirking slightly in amusement. He collected his thoughts and went back to the subject at hand. "Choosing to protect the Freemans could be beneficial to us. Aside from the obvious boost to our numbers, they have power that would otherwise be unavailable to us. If they are the power that the lunatic vampire seeks, we have no choice but to stand between the Freemans and the vampires."

"I agree completely," Minerva said seriously. After consideration, she added "Almost completely - That bit about killing all of them was unnecessary." Severus chuckled darkly, causing Minerva to smile and roll her eyes at him. She then turned to Harry and said "We should have them come inside so can talk a bit more."

Harry looked around at everyone. "Are we all in agreement?" he asked, his arms spread in an open invitation.

Neville nodded enthusiastically, his eyes wide in his amazement at the whole situation. "Siren's are actually real," he said, awestruck. "We can't turn our backs on them." Ron and Ginny nodded in agreement.

"I agree," Hermione said quietly. "All of this is so overwhelming, but we should stand by them. They didn't have to tell us, but they did." After a brief pause she added "They went against the Guardian to tell us the truth."

Harry nodded his approval at her. He looked to Minerva and Severus, seeing their steadfast assurance that this was the right course. Then, he remembered that one person had said surprisingly little throughout most of the evening. He focused on Draco with a questioning look. "Anything to contribute?" he asked politely.

"I'm not sure there's anything I can add at this point," Draco drawled in response. At the expressions on his friends' faces, he sighed irritably. "I'm not particularly thrilled about all this," he grumbled. "But, fine. Yes, I'm in." He watched as Harry hurried to retrieve the Freemans, with a sullen expression. He was angry with himself for sulking, but he also felt very hurt that Caroline had kept this information from him. He supposed that he couldn't reasonably demand such disclosures from her since they were not together. However, this knowledge didn't lesson the sting of this particular situation.

A few moments later, Harry returned with the Freemans and Andy. Minerva rose from her seat before anyone else could speak. "Professor Freeman," she said, her expression severe "your resignation is declined." She peered at Caroline over her spectacles. "It is unacceptable and I will not tolerate such foolishness." A tiny wink betrayed her serious tone, causing Caroline to smile in gratitude.

Andy cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Does this mean you have made a decision?" he asked, eyes darting to each face in the room. His right hand twitched just a bit with the urge to grab his wand, just in case.

Severus noticed the twitch and smirked. "Relax," he said smoothly, his arms crossing over his chest. "The others have informed me that homicide would be in poor taste at this time. We have chosen to offer our assistance."

Samantha smiled broadly and her sisters sighed in relief. Andy released the breath he was holding in a rush of air. "That's great," he said, running his hands through his hair. "I wasn't looking forward to trying to take on all of you," he added, eyeing Snape warily. "I assume you have questions, and we will need to discuss how to keep this secret safe."

"Let's allow them to ask any questions they have," Caroline said quietly. "I'll give them a chance to feel secure in their choice. I don't want them to feel obligated to anything without knowing what they're getting themselves into." Andy nodded in agreement and motioned for the girls to have a seat. Caroline sat down next to Draco, frowning when he wouldn't make eye contact with her. "What's wrong?" she asked him. She noticed that everyone else looked away uncomfortably.

Draco finally met her gaze, his brow creased in his frustration and his eyes were narrowed. "How could you just not say anything?" he asked. "Why didn't you tell me?" He nearly winced at the obvious hurt in his tone.

Caroline's eyes glittered with tears. "I'm sorry," she said, reaching over to lay her hand on his arm. "It's not just my secret and it's dangerous. Besides, how do you even approach a subject like that?" Her gaze shifted to the floor. "I've had to hide who I am for my entire life." She fell silent, her head bowed.

Draco hesitated and then lifted her chin with one hand. She met his eyes reluctantly. "I get it," he said quietly. "I just hate that you were keeping this from me. But I understand why you did." He hesitated and then took hold of her hand, squeezing it gently. Caroline blushed, but smiled when she realized that he had no intention of relinquishing his grip on her hand.

"Well, since that's out of the way," Sam muttered rolling her eyes, "are there any questions?"

"Can you show us?" Neville blurted out. "Not that I don't believe you. But actually seeing what you can do may put this into perspective for us."

Sam and Jenna exchanged a look of contemplation. Sam shrugged and then glanced at Caroline who seemed to have no objection. Andy also seemed to feel comfortable with compliance to Neville's request. Deciding to really put on a show, Sam turned from the group and cast a spell in the direction of a door that their guests had not yet been through. The door swung open and she gestured for everyone to follow her. The room was large with vaulted ceilings. There was a grand piano sitting by the far wall. There were shelves against each wall, each housing several different instruments. "This room was a closet at one time," Sam said grinning. "Now it's the music room." With a few flicks of her wand, she conjured enough chairs for the guests to sit down.

Andy went to the piano and sat down, watching for the Freemans to give him his cue. The sisters stood in the center of the room, their faces bright with anticipation. Their posture was perfect but they looked completely relaxed at the same time. Caroline gave Andy a tiny nod and he began to play a beautiful, intricate aria.

Caroline began singing, her voice so beautiful that her audience didn't even notice that the song was in Latin for a moment. Sam and Jenna joined in, one by one, their pitch just as perfect as their sister's. Their voices filled the room, reverberating off of the vaulted ceiling. Caroline's soaring high notes, floating effortlessly above Sam and Jenna's harmonies, brought tears to Hermione's eyes. She suddenly felt weightless and her heart seemed to ache in her chest though she didn't know why. At the moment, that didn't matter. She only cared about the voices calling her.

Draco had risen from his seat. His fists were clenched and his face held an expression of deep longing. In fact, all the others were wearing similar expressions.

The Freemans ended the song, their eyes closed and their expressions peaceful. The sudden sharp intake of breath from Draco when he stumbled forward slightly, brought their attention back to their small audience. Draco looked stunned and bewildered. Hermione was wiping off the remnants of the tears on her face, looking surprised to see the moisture on her fingertips. Harry, Ron and Neville were just sitting there, looking unsettled. Minerva and Severus were wide eyed and completely astounded. Ginny's breathing was uneven and she was blinking rapidly.

"That was amazing," Hermione said, her eyes wide. "My mind was completely consumed by the music. Nothing else mattered." The others nodded in agreement.

"It reminds me of the Imperius curse in a way," Harry commented. "Although, I have to say it was far more pleasant."

"It can be very similar to the Imperius curse," Andy agreed. "Sailors were compelled to sail right into the cliffs, blissfully unaware of the fate that was ahead of them. They couldn't help themselves." He grinned mischievously. "It's just the tip of the iceberg. The music can also be used for things like protection charms. They can get pretty creative with enhancing regular spells and potions."

"I guess we know why that vampire wants to take advantage of them," Ron muttered to Harry who nodded.

"I'm not sure that this is something that should be shared with everything else," Hermione said, frowning pensively.

Ron jerked his head in her direction. "Why?" Ron asked incredulously. "We're all on the same team."

"We're not students anymore Ron," Hermione growled impatiently. "This is a dangerous situation. Having a secret like this spread through such a large group is not safe. Don't forget that some of these vampires were death eaters."

"Indeed," Severus agreed. "I do not think it would be necessary to include the entire Order. They will still have enough motivation to continue with this fight against the vampires. Divulging this information will greatly increase the chances of one of our own betraying us."

"And we can't rule out the possibility that someone could be captured and interrogated," Hermione added.

"While I prefer not to consider such a thing," McGonagall said with a shudder, "I think that I must agree. There's no need to release this knowledge to the entire group. We can keep it between those of us in the inner circle." She turned to the Freemans expectantly.

"I think that's a great idea," Jenna said. Her sisters nodding.

"If you are willing, Andy can initiate you all as Guardians," Caroline said. "If any of you don't want to do this, we completely understand. It's a huge burden."

Harry looked around at everyone and smiled. "I think you'll find us equal to the task," he said resolutely. "Let's get started."

Andy grinned widely. "Then come with me," he said moving toward the door. "We'll have a ridiculously dramatic ceremony, and I'll tell you how this works. Prepare to become 'The Guardians'," he proclaimed, obviously enjoying his own theatrics. In a loud whisper he added "Then we'll have cookies." He whirled around and marched out the door, followed by the sisters.

Severus scowled at Andy's back. Hermione noticed and grinned at him. "He reminded me a little bit of Professor Dumbledore just now," she commented, giggling when Severus cringed. He smirked at her, gesturing for her to walk through the door. Minerva and Ginny followed, shaking their heads in amusement.

Draco looked over at Harry. "Andy is going to drive Severus mad," Draco said with a wicked grin. Harry and Ron laughed and hurried to follow the others.


	7. Let The Games Begin

**Let The Games Begin**

Harry scowled down at the roll of parchment in front of him. He growled in irritation and looked over at his co-workers. "Professor Snape, I now value your flair for making scathing remarks on hideous essays," he said, dropping his quill on the table with disgust. He shook his head and rolled up the parchment and pushed it away. "I give up for now," he muttered. Harry stretched and looked over at Snape and Hermione. They were sitting together at a large table with a small stack of large books, each taking notes and occasionally drawing the other's attention to share something they had just noted. Harry frowned, surprised at how much the potions master had changed. After years of spiteful comments, glares of hatred and anti-social behavior, Severus Snape was sitting with Hermione and listening to her with an expression of interest and not irritation. Harry looked around to catch Draco's eye, but smirked when he spotted him on the floor with Caroline.

Caroline was lying on her back on the floor, with a book levitating above her head. Draco was sitting next to her with his legs stretched out and leaning on one arm which was on the other side of Caroline. His side rested lightly against hers as he pretended to read the book in his other hand. He glanced over at Harry and smirked mischievously. He set his book down and brushed his fingertips against Caroline's side. Her eyes shifted to his and she smiled. Her breath caught as Draco leaned even further and lowered his mouth to hers. He continued to support his weight with one arm while the other hand caressed her cheek. The tender moment was interrupted when Caroline's book fell and hit the back of Draco's head. Caroline giggled and sat up to cradle the back of Draco's head in her hands. "Serves you right for distracting me," she murmured with a playful grin.

"That's disgusting," Harry said, watching them with a bored expression. Draco smirked at him while Caroline giggled. "You know this is the staff room, right?" Harry asked with a smirk. "This is a place for people to work."

"Says the professor that charmed three quills and a teacup to tap dance just twenty minutes ago," Severus quipped, his eyes never leaving the large book he was perusing. He smirked when Hermione laughed.

"I'm so bored," Harry muttered. "And these essays are rubbish."

"Maybe Caroline could entertain us," Draco suggested, his fingers tracing an intricate pattern on the delicate skin of Caroline's wrist.

Caroline blushed but didn't pull her hand away. "I'm not a music box," she chided him gently. "And I'm not here to simply entertain you."

"What a shame," Draco drawled, eyeing her suggestively. He chuckled when she swatted his arm. He then turned to look at Severus. "When were we to meet for training?" he asked.

"In about an hour," Severus muttered distractedly. He shook his head and pointed to the parchment. "No, we cannot use this," he said flatly, drawing Hermione's attention. "This plant would turn the base potion into a poison. It could be neutralized, but I would prefer to avoid adding more elements than necessary."

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "I'm just afraid that leaving it out will make the base too weak," she said, sighing in frustration. "What about this one?" she asked, pointing at an illustration in the book in front of her.

Severus pondered for a moment. "Clever girl," he murmured, making some notes on his parchment. Hermione blushed, but said nothing as he didn't seem to be aware of what he had said. Caroline caught Hermione's eye and winked. "This will need to be tested, of course, but it may work," Severus went on.

"You've got the potion figured out?" Draco asked hopefully.

"That would be nice," Hermione muttered.

Severus smirked, clearly in agreement. "We think we may have the base for the potion worked out," he said. "It is just a starting point, but it is progress." He looked back at Hermione. "I can begin testing this evening."

Hermione nodded, stacking the books and collecting the rolls of parchment containing their research. "What time shall I meet you?" she asked. "Or should we get started immediately after training." She looked at Severus and noticed his surprise and slight discomfort. "Unless you'd prefer to do that on your own," she added quickly.

"I had assumed that you would have other things to work on, or that you would be otherwise engaged with your friends," Sever responded, gesturing toward Harry, Draco and Caroline.

"I hadn't made any plans," she assured him. "I am more than happy to help if you would like."

"Very well," Severus said a bit stiffly. "We will go to my lab once training has ended."

Hermione nodded and offered him a small hesitant smile. "Great," she said. She rose from her seat and began moving toward the door. "I'm going to get changed."

"Me too," Caroline said, rising gracefully from the floor. "We'll see you in just a bit." She waved to the men and followed Hermione out. "Very impressive," she said once she closed the door. At Hermione's puzzled look she went on. "You worked so well with Severus. You caught him off guard with your willingness to do extra work with him."

"He looked so uncomfortable," Hermione said with a frown.

"He's not used to it," Caroline replied dismissively. "It's obvious that he's been a loner for a long time. Draco says that Severus really doesn't have many friends. In fact, we're it," she added with sad shake of her head. "In the past, his companions outside of the school were death eaters. Inside the school, he had Professor Dumbledore. For a little while, Draco is really all he had left aside from the headmistress. So, now he has us."

Hermione nodded absently, distracted by the little ache in her heart for Severus. She supposed that all this shouldn't be a surprise to her, and she felt quite guilty for not considering it before. It could be blamed on all the past years of animosity, but now that Hermione was aware of how alone Severus was, she couldn't ignore it. Her thoughts were interrupted by Caroline tugging her arm and leading her through a doorway.

"Come on," Caroline said, grinning. "We'll get changed in here."

* * *

Harry surveyed the Great Hall with satisfaction. The tables had been removed and the room was set up much like the room of requirement had been when the D.A. first started. There were different practice areas and the perimeter was marked off like a muggle track. He laughed when he saw Caroline and Hermione walk in and immediately cringe at the sight of the track.

"This looks like a torture chamber," Caroline commented with a shudder. "I'm definitely not an athlete." Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement.

"You certainly look like one," Draco said, walking over to them. "And did you dress Granger as well?"

Caroline's black pants hugged her hips but were looser around her calves. The fabric was light and cool. Her midriff area was bare and her top was little more than a sports bra with a wide band under the bust. Hermione's ensemble was nearly identical, but her pants and top had a pale blue trim as an accent. Harry's eyes bulged slightly at the sight of his friend's slim waistline, rounded hips and full bust.

"Merlin Hermione," he said shaking his head a little. "You've been hiding that body all these years?"

Before Hermione could retort, Samantha and Jenna walked in and joined the group. Their outfits were similar to Caroline's, but their tops completely covered their stomach area. Jenna immediately eyed Hermione's attire. "Good call Caroline," Jenna said. "She looks great. Now for the hair. Ladies hold still for just a second." Jenna pulled out her wand and gave it a complicated little wave. Hermione's hair was immediately swept up into a neat bun. Jenna repeated this for her two sisters and then herself. "Now we're ready."

Draco shrugged while Harry looked a bit baffled. "All that just to do some training," Harry said. Hermione seemed to agree but the Freemans just laughed. "Well, you girls may want to get started. We'll have to do all this in shifts since there are so many of us. You could start with the run to get it out of the way."

The girls groaned, but moved to the track without arguing. As more people came into the Great Hall, Harry gave instructions. After a little while, Severus approached him. "There you are," Harry said. "I think the ladies are ready for some more direct training. I thought you'd be a good match for them."

"Which ladies?" Severus asked, his tone one of boredom.

"Those ladies," Draco interjected, indicating Hermione and the Freeman sisters. He waved, getting Caroline's attention. He smiled as the girls slowed their pace and stretched before approaching. "That's quite a view," Draco muttered quietly to the other two men. "How are you not completely drenched?" he asked when the young women stopped in front of him.

"Cooling charms," Caroline replied dismissively. "What next?"

"You will be coming with me," Severus said gesturing for them to follow. He led them to a curtained off area and ushered the women inside. They were surprised to see what looked very much like a muggle rock climbing wall. "We will begin with this," Severus said, gesturing to the wall.

"What in the world for?" Jenna asked, looking slightly horrified.

"Well, they said we had to be prepared for everything," Caroline said with a shrug. "This will, no doubt, help build some strength."

"Correct," Severus said. "We will begin with this and move on to some dueling."

* * *

"I could sleep for a week," Jenna said, bending over to rub her aching calves.

"At least you can head home after this," Caroline said, stretching her arms over her head. "Hermione still has to meet with Severus to work on that potion."

"That will at least be somewhat enjoyable," Hermione said, wincing at the ache in her lower back. Seeing the doubtful look on Jenna and Sam's faces, she went on. "Severus isn't exactly the cheerful sort, but he is incredibly intelligent. It's wonderful to get the chance to work with him."

"High praise indeed," Severus said, startling Hermione. He smirked slightly at the blush creeping into her already flushed cheeks. "Potter is working with one last group, and has organized a team to return the Great Hall to its original state. We are free to move on to the potion if you are ready."

Before Hermione could respond, Caroline said "You two are going to drop if you don't slow down. Hermione, you've hardly eaten anything all day." She eyed Severus and went on. "I'm going to have a house-elf send some food to the lab for you. You can't cure the vampires if you both waste away first." She then waved her hand as if dismissing them, causing Sam and Jenna to laugh. Hermione and Severus exchanged looks of exasperation before they turned to leave.

"I'll go get changed and then I'll meet you in the lab," Hermione said, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"As you wish," Severus replied. He eyed her for a moment before averting his gaze. "Your attire is most certainly not what I would have expected."

Hermione laughed softly. "Caroline selected my clothing," she explained with a rueful grin. "I don't believe I've ever felt so exposed in a public setting. I'll see you in a moment." She hurried off down the hall, leaving Severus to watch her retreating form with a thoughtful expression before heading toward his lab.


	8. Something's Brewing

**Something's Brewing**

Severus opened the door to his lab and ushered Hermione inside with a wave of his hand. "Caroline made good on her threat," he said, moving toward a small table. On the table was a tray that held a pitcher of pumpkin juice, two empty glasses and various fruits. He poured pumpkin juice into the glasses and offered one to her. She accepted it gratefully.

"Have you started already?" she asked looking toward what would be their work area.

"The cauldron is set up and I have prepared the ingredients we will need for the base," Severus replied. "I have also set out other ingredients that may prove useful. There are several books on the other table for our use." He paused and met her gaze. "Do you require anything else?"

Hermione blinked in momentary surprise. "Not at all Severus," she said politely. "This is perfectly fine. You are the expert here."

"Then let us begin," he said seriously. He set their notes on the table and began unrolling the parchment. "Bring the tray," he added, not raising his eyes. Hermione grinned and grabbed the fruit tray. She set it on the table and sat down next to Severus.

* * *

Draco had invited Harry and the Freemans back to his private quarters once training was finished. Andy arrived a short time later, glad to take a break from The Hideaway. He had entered the sitting room looking distinctly ruffled and irritable. "Alright there?" Draco asked.

"Long day," Andy muttered. "It took half an hour just to throw the crazy naked guy out. Several people went overboard with the drinking. A couple of guys got into a fight and tried to have a wizards' dual. Once they remembered that they couldn't dual in the club they ended up sword fighting with their wands, resulting in one getting poked in the eye. They were both three sheets to the wind of course." He rolled his eyes. "The bouncers and I had to have a long chat. They let it go a bit too long for the sake of amusement and that's how people get hurt. At least the Streaker isn't really likely to cause harm to anyone."

"I don't know about that," Harry said, laughing. "Seeing his naughty bits flopping about could cause some psychological damage."

Andy chuckled. "True," he agreed. He accepted the glass of wine that Draco offered him and then went to sit down next to Jenna. "How was training?"

"Sweaty," Jenna replied, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"I think it went well," Harry said, stretching his legs out in front of him and folding his arms over his chest. "Everyone worked really hard. I think it was a brilliant idea to train this way. And the girls dressed Hermione up," he added with a grin.

Andy raised his eyebrows in interest. "Really?" he said, eyeing the sisters.

"She wore a cute little outfit," Jenna said. "Like Caroline's. You know the one." She grinned and Andy's look of astonishment. "I fixed her hair up a bit."

"She looked amazing," Harry mused.

Andy smiled, not surprised. "How is that girl still single?" he asked.

"Good question," Draco commented. "I thought Granger and Weasley were together."

"They were," Harry said with a sigh. "That was a disaster. They fought like crazy. Ron still fancies her, but Hermione needs something more. I could never tell Ron this, but I think he sort of holds her back. Their personalities simply clash too much."

"I could have told you all that," Draco muttered. "That relationship was doomed right from the beginning."

"I just love your optimism Draco," Caroline said with a laugh. She stood up, yawning. "I'm exhausted. I'm gonna go get showered and head off to bed." Her sisters followed her lead, bidding everyone a good night.

Draco watched them leave with a thoughtful frown. He turned to look at Andy. "How do I win Caroline over?" he asked abruptly.

Andy blinked in surprise while Harry laughed. "You snogged her in the teacher's lounge," Harry chuckled. "I think you've won."

Draco shook his head. "I kissed her, but," he hesitated, not enjoying the feeling of vulnerability. "I want more than that. Not just to get into her knickers," he added, seeing Harry's smirk. "I want her to be mine, not just willing to let me snog her."

Andy pondered Draco for a moment. "Caroline's been through a lot," he said slowly. "It's not really my place to explain all that. But, I will say that I know Caroline well enough to tell you that if she allowed you to kiss her, then she is already receptive to you. She wouldn't toy with you. She's a little shy and very afraid of having her heart broken again. We just need something to push her over the edge," he said, his fingers drumming against the arm of the couch while he thought.

"I don't want to trick her into anything," Draco protested. "It doesn't mean much if it's not her own choice."

Andy regarded him thoughtfully. "I love Caroline," Andy said seriously. "I have been entrusted with her safety and well-being, and as far as I'm concerned, that extends to happiness. I would never do anything that would cause her pain." Suddenly he smiled. "I think I know what to do."

Draco leaned forward eagerly. Andy set his wine glass on the side table and then rested his forearms on his thighs, his eyes glittering with excitement. "You have to sing to her," Andy said dramatically.

Draco slumped a bit in disappointment. Harry rolled his eyes. "She's a siren," Harry said. "Why would she want to hear someone else sing?"

"Trust me," Andy said with a grin. "It's a way for you to share in her world. It'll show your acceptance of who and what she is. And it'll be sexy," he added. "There's a song that I play for the girls. They love when I sing it, and they can't resist joining in. I'll teach you."

Draco sighed. It sounded a bit ridiculous. But, surely Andy knew Caroline better than anyone else. "Let's do it," he said.

Harry laughed and said "This I've got to see."

* * *

Hermione smothered a yawn with her hand as she stared down into the cauldron. She looked into the cauldron and smiled in satisfaction. "It worked," she said. "The base is perfect. What's the next step?"

"Bed," Severus replied flatly. He took in her appearance with a frown. "You should have told me that you were tired."

"I didn't notice," Hermione said. At his disbelieving look she said "I was enjoying this. I got distracted with our work and it wasn't until we stopped that I suddenly felt so tired. But I don't want to slow you down."

"Destroying the potion by falling asleep while brewing would slow me down," Severus responded, rolling his eyes. He cast a stasis charm over the cauldron. They set about cleaning up their work area and collecting their notes. Once finished, Severus looked back at Hermione to see her wincing and rubbing her shoulders. "What is it?" he asked.

"Just a little sore," she murmured. "Everywhere," she added ruefully. With another shuddering yawn, she moved toward the door. Severus swiftly moved to the door and opened it for her.

"I will escort you back to your quarters," he said a bit stiffly. He offered her his arm, managing to mask his uncertainty. Strangely, when she accepted his arm, he felt both relieved and unsettled. He was glad that she didn't seem to think anything of taking his arm, but having her so close made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

Hermione was exhausted, but she was keenly aware of the strangeness of her current situation. Her left arm was entwined with the potion master's arm. She couldn't recall a time that she had been so close to him. However she could recall a time that even the thought of being in such close proximity to him made her stomach clench in fear. She chanced a glance at a face and blushed when their eyes met.

"What is it?" he asked her gruffly.

"Just thinking," she murmured in embarrassment. "You've changed so much. I suppose we all have over the years, but it's especially noticeable in you. I imagine it has something to do with not being your student. But, I think it's something else as well." She noticed that he looked very uncomfortable and she hurriedly went on. "I don't expect any kind of explanation from you. I'm merely saying that I've noted some changes. It allows me to appreciate you as a person rather than just a brilliant potion master."

They stopped in front of her door, their eyes avoiding contact. After a moment, Hermione forced herself to look at him. "I do really want to be your friend, Severus," she said quietly.

"Why?" he snapped. He cringed inwardly. Her statement had surprised him and as a result, he instinctively lashed out at her.

Hermione flinched slightly at his harsh tone, but didn't move. "Because we all need friends," she said gently. "We'll be working together on the potion and we'll be fighting vampires before long. We need to be able to trust and rely on each other." After a moment of hesitation she added "We weren't exactly on good terms while I was in school and I don't see any reason to dwell on that. I owe you my life many times over. Calling you my friend seems like too little."

Severus stood completely still for a moment. For once, he could think of nothing to say. Here was a woman that he had been so cruel to when she was young, offering friendship that didn't seem to be out of pity or a desire to manipulate. Part of him wanted to sneer at her and toss her "white flag" back into face. Severus did not like to feel vulnerable and Hermione had unknowingly left him feeling exposed. He cleared his throat and straightened his robes mechanically. Unwilling to respond directly to her previous statement, he reached into his robes and pulled out a vial. He handed it to her stiffly. "A healing salve," he said, not quite meeting her eyes. "Do not drink it," he warned her. "Rub the salve into the muscles. A little will go a long way, so use it sparingly. You could lose feeling in your limbs if you use too much."

"Thank you Severus," Hermione said, sounding relieved. "I'll be careful. Goodnight," she added, offering him a hesitant smile. She was pleased when he gave her a tiny nod before sweeping back down the hallway.

* * *

"Well, if the vampires don't kill us off, this school year might," Draco said, sitting down next to Severus. It was a Hogsmeade weekend for the students and the professors had been just as happy about it as the students. Draco had convinced Severus to go into the Three Broomsticks for a drink instead of the Hogshead. Caroline preferred the Three Broomsticks, so Draco could have a drink with Severus knowing that the beautiful siren was likely to show up before long.

Severus, of course, was aware of Draco's reason for insisting on entering the Three Broomsticks. However, Draco's reasons didn't make it anymore appealing for the surly potions master. "There are far too many students in here," he grumbled irritably. "Can you not simply ask Caroline to meet you at the Hogshead? It is not as if you are fooling anyone. I am sure she knows that you come here because you know she will be here." He smirked at the scowl Draco shot at him. He gestured to the round table they were sitting at. "Why else would you select such a large table?"

"She prefers this place," Draco said firmly. "I don't mind it, though I agree it would be better without all the students here." After a moment of hesitation he added "Potter and Granger will be coming with her." He was surprised when this information was met with a simple nod and nothing more. He had expected a lot of scowling and complaining. "Impressive," he muttered, smirking when Severus looked up curiously. "Caroline said that you and Granger were friends, but I didn't really believe her."

Severus rolled his eyes. "No need to be so ridiculous about it," he drawled, waving his hand dismissively. "We had a rather one-sided conversation. She said that she wanted us to be friends, and I simply did not reject her."

Draco laughed. "Well, I'm glad you're not going soft on me," he said, shaking his head. After a moment he went on. "I think it's a really good thing. You spend a lot of time alone. You've not been the same since you were in Azkaban." He pretended not to notice the potion master's slight flinch at his mention of the prison. "Granger will be good for you, I think. And I don't think she has an abundance of friends that share her passion for knowledge. It certainly helps that she's hiding a great body under those robes," he added slyly.

Severus coughed and then cleared his throat. Meeting Draco's gaze he said "That was surprising to say the least."

Before Draco could comment further, he saw Caroline approaching the table. She slipped into the sat next to Draco with a shy smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting," she said politely.

"Not at all," Severus replied smoothly.

"Harry and Hermione will be here in a moment," Caroline said. She giggled and said "They got a little tied up."

Before the two men could ask what she meant, Harry and Hermione came into the pub. Their cheeks were flushed and they were both a little breathless with laughter. They moved toward the table, trying to get control of their laughter and not doing a very good job of it. Hermione sat down in the empty seat next to Severus, visibly shaking with suppressed giggles. Harry sat down on the other side of her.

"What the bloody hell have you two been up to?" Draco demanded, looking at the pair as if they were completely deranged. Hermione tried to calm down enough to explain, but dissolved into helpless giggles again. This only made Harry laugh even harder. "For the love of Merlin, Severus tell me you have a calming draught," Draco said in exasperation.

Smirking, Severus held a vial to Hermione. "Do not choke on this," he demanded sternly.

Hermione took a deep breath and took a swallow of the potion before passing it to Harry. Within a few moments, they had calmed down. "Sorry," Harry muttered sheepishly.

"What happened?" Draco asked.

Caroline giggled. "Harry is just a little too famous," she said grinning. "There were some students that had apparently been following us. When they caught up to us, the girls cornered Harry."

"They practically mauled me!" Harry interjected, blushing slightly. "Hands were everywhere..." He trailed off with a shudder, looking rather traumatized.

"One girl's brother told us that they had tried to make a potion," Caroline went on. "They were trying to look older. I'm not sure what they used, but it seemed to work like some kind of lust potion instead."

"Oh my," Severus said, in a choked voice.

"I panicked a little," Hermione said ruefully, not noticing Snape's tone. "Harry was surrounded and those girls weren't showing any signs of stopping. They were surprisingly aggressive." She hesitated, clearly not wanting to go on.

Caroline, however, didn't mind finishing the story. "Hermione levitated these girls and hung them like ornaments from the nearest tree," she said laughing. "Then she sprayed them with cold water, all the while lecturing them about behaving with dignity and modesty," she added, shaking her head in amusement. "Harry, by this time, has recovered from the attack and is sitting in the middle of the lane laughing."

"It's been a long week and the whole thing was bloody weird," Harry said defensively.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "After that, the headmistress showed up wanting to know why I was watering a tree full of students," she said with a sigh. To her surprise, Severus chuckled.

"Forgive me," Severus said, struggling to suppress his mirth. "I would have loved to see the expression on Minerva's face."

At this, Hermione grinned. "It was priceless," she assured him.

"Did you leave them in the tree?" Severus asked her, unable to dismiss his amused smirk.

"No," Hermione replied. "Harry had to hide behind some bushes while we got the girls down. Minerva escorted them back to the castle. Poppy will have her hands full."


	9. Playing Cupid

**Playing Cupid**

Arcanus was uncharacteristically empty. The large men that normally guarded the doors were absent. Andy was standing behind the bar, mixing drinks and enjoying the quiet. His eyes followed Draco as he paced the floor.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Draco muttered.

"It's fine," Andy said dismissively. "You want this." He set a tumbler containing an amber liquid on the counter and gestured for Draco to take it.

"Care to explain what we are doing in an empty club?" Severus asked, looking bored and a bit annoyed.

"We're going to work some magic," Andy said with a grin. He sighed happily. "I really amaze myself sometimes. I should do this more often."

Harry snorted in amusement. "Do what?" he asked.

"Play cupid," Andy replied.

"Merlin help us," Severus groaned tossing back his shot of firewhiskey.

Andy smirked and then looked at Harry and Draco with a conspiratorial wink. "Sounds like Snape needs to be my next target," he said in a loud whisper. He laughed at the glare Severus shot at him. "They should be here any minute," Andy said, rubbing his hands together briskly. "Everyone looks great," he added, eyeing the three other men critically.

Draco and Harry were wearing white collared shirts, black slacks and black ties. Severus was wearing the same ensemble, but he had abandoned the tie almost the second they walked into the club. Andy was wearing khaki colored slacks and a light blue polo shirt. "Tell me again why this is necessary," Harry said, tugging at the collar of his shirt uncomfortably. "Couldn't I wear something like that?" He gestured to Andy's shirt, eyeing it jealously.

"You'll thank me for this," Andy assured him with a smile. He turned to face the door as he felt his wards being removed. "Here we go," he muttered to himself.

Hermione and Ginny entered the club with the Freeman sisters, feeling a little nervous. Andy had instructed everyone to dress up for the occasion, but refused to tell them what the occasion was.

Hermione felt incredibly self-conscious. This time, Jenna had selected Hermione's attire. Hermione was now wearing a glittering dark blue dress that clung to her body. The wide V-neck didn't show much cleavage but that didn't give her a lot comfort. The fabric hugged her hips gently before flaring out slightly and stopping just above her knees. She tugged absently at the narrow straps, wishing she could cover up with her teaching robes. Her hair was swept up in an elegant chignon, courtesy of Jenna. Luckily she had the foresight to cast a cushioning charm on her high heels. She had the feeling that it was going to be a long evening.

Caroline looked amazing in a long satin dress with an empire waistline. The flowing, light blue fabric did little to hide her curvy frame. Samantha wore the same dress in a pale pink that was very striking against her dark skin, while Jenna's dress was dark green.

Ginny squealed as Harry scooped her up into his arms and spun her around in a circle before setting her back down. His eyes roamed her body, as if trying to memorize every detail. Her slim form was encased in lavender fabric. The dress had a plunging V-neck and it clung to her body. She twirled around for him, loving the way the fabric swirled around her legs. "You look amazing," Harry said softly to her.

She grinned, her excitement shining in her eyes. "Thank you," she replied. "When do we find out what's going on?" she asked, smoothing his tie with her hands.

"Malfoy wanted to surprise Caroline," Harry said, smiling. "I can't say anymore though."

"That doesn't explain why I have to walk around only half-way dressed," Hermione grumbled, moving to Ginny's side.

"Don't be silly," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "You look fabulous. And how often do we get the chance to dress up like this?"

Hermione nodded, though she didn't look as if she agreed. She spotted Severus sitting at the bar, looking as uncomfortable as she felt. She approached him uncertainly, offering him a smile when he met her eyes. "Hello Severus," she said, taking a seat next to him. "You look nice."

"Thank you," he replied, shifting uncomfortably. He was missing his teaching robes a great deal at this point. His eyes drifted to Hermione's dress and his brow rose in surprise. "I see you intend to make a habit of shocking me with your attire," he drawled. He smirked in amusement when Hermione giggled. "And the fun is about to begin," he muttered.

Hermione looked around to see Draco guiding Caroline to sit down with her sisters while Andy set about enchanting various instruments. "This should be interesting," she said, turning her seat to get a better view.

Draco sat down and waited expectantly for Andy to begin. With a wave of Andy's wand, music filled the club. Caroline's face lit up with a smile as she instantly recognized the song. Her sisters shared in her obvious excitement, leaning forward slightly, watching. Their eyes locked on Andy's face as he swaggered forward, taking a deep breath.

The voice they heard was unfamiliar, and Andy's mouth wasn't moving other than the sly smile curving his lips. The Freeman sisters whirled around to see Draco strolling towards them, his rich baritone voice caressing the words he was singing. Caroline's mouth dropped open in surprise. Sam and Jenna looked mildly impressed.

Draco had felt a little uncertain but Andy had coached him to really play up the drama. His eyes stayed locked on Caroline as he crooned to her. He was feeling smug when the verse ended and Caroline lifted her chin and met his eyes with a playful smirk. He took a tiny step back when the Freeman's sang the next verse, rising slowly from their chairs and approaching him, their hips swaying to the music. They stopped within arms reach of him, their voices harmonizing perfectly. Sam and Jenna fell silent, watching Caroline and Draco sing. They winked at Andy as Draco shifted a bit closer to Caroline, unable to resist the call of her voice. Sam and Jenna rejoined the song at the end of the verse, harmonizing and echoing throughout the remainder of the song.

By the end of the song, all four of them were a bit breathless. Draco's hands were on Caroline's waist and his eyes were focused intently on hers. "Andy put you up to this didn't he?" Caroline asked, blushing.

"I asked him for help," Draco admitted. At Caroline's puzzled look he went on. "We've spent a lot of time together, but I always end up feeling like you've managed to keep me at arm's length. I'd like to be a bit closer," he added with a flirtatious wink.

Caroline blushed even more, looking away uncomfortably. She stilled when Andy approached and rested one hand on her shoulder. "You know I'd never help a guy that I thought was bad for you," he said firmly. "This guy is in it for the long haul. He was desperate to find a way to be with you."

"I wouldn't say desperate," Draco muttered. Andy ignored him.

"You light up when he's around," Andy said. "He worked hard on this just to show you that he wants to be with you. Give him a chance." Andy glanced at Draco apologetically. "I'll get out of your way," he murmured, moving away to watch from a more discrete location.

"This is so sweet," Caroline said quietly, meeting Draco's eyes shyly.

"Only for you," Draco replied, his gaze steady. He watched her as he slowly lowered his mouth to hers, thrilled when she didn't back away. He was pleasantly surprised when she relaxed in his arms and returned his kiss.

Sam and Jenna stood nearby, watching the scene with mild interest until Sam cleared her throat loudly. When Caroline and Draco looked at her she smirked. "As touching as this is, I think make this a little more interesting," Sam said. "Besides, Snape might hex his own face off if he has to watch you to make out anymore." She glanced back at the potions master to see him smirking in amusement. Without further comment, she shooed Caroline and Draco away so she and Jenna could get to the stage, followed by Andy.

Harry led Ginny to the dance floor as a beautiful melody began to play. He pulled her into his arms and he smiled with contentment when she rested her head on his shoulder.

Draco walked over to the bar to get Caroline some water. He frowned when he saw Severus and Hermione sitting there watching the others. Sam, Jenna and Andy taking to the stage had effectively left the pair with two couples. After a moment of consideration, he moved around the bar to stand next to Hermione.

"Draco that was really sweet of you," she said, gesturing toward Caroline, who was approaching them. "You sang so well. And Caroline looks very happy."

"Yes well, it might have been better if all you sods hadn't been watching," Draco retorted.

"I was coerced and the ladies were invited," Snape reminded him.

"Just ignore this guy," Caroline said, stopping next Draco and giving him a playful wink. "I'm glad we're all together tonight."

Draco nodded grudgingly, earning a poke in the ribs from Caroline. He grinned at her and then turned to Hermione. "Why haven't you talked Severus into dancing with you?" he asked, smirking at her look of startled surprise.

"I didn't know that Severus liked to dance," Hermione said, glancing at the potions master.

"That's a good idea," Caroline said, sounding pleased. "You two should come dance. It's fun and relaxing." She smiled in satisfaction when Severus rose from his chair and held out his hand to Hermione. His expression was unreadable, but Caroline felt certain that it was a good sign that he didn't simply refuse. She saw Hermione hesitate slightly and then allow Severus to take her by the hand and lead her to the dance floor.

Caroline turned to face Draco and caught his smug look. "You embarrassed them," she said.

"So?" he said with a shrug. "They'll be fine. It won't kill Severus to be social."

Caroline rolled her eyes and took a sip of the water he offered her. She set the glass back on the bar and then allowed herself to be guided back to the dance floor.

Hermione's heart raced at the feel of hands on her waist. She noticed that Severus seemed nervous instead of irritated. She was having trouble thinking straight with their bodies so close together. When Severus met her eyes, she smiled tentatively. "Caroline was right," she said quietly. "This is nice."

"Indeed," Severus agreed, his fingers inching to her lower back. "However, I would still very much like to hex Draco."

Hermione laughed. "Can I watch?" she asked with a grin.

"Certainly," he replied smirking. "I may even allow you to help." His lips twitched when she laughed again.

The laughter drew Caroline's attention. She smiled and said "Draco, have you ever wondered if maybe..." Her voice trailed off as she nodded toward Severus and Hermione.

Draco followed her gaze in confusion. "Severus and Granger," he muttered. He frowned thoughtfully. He looked back at Caroline and caught her look. "You mean them together? No, I've honestly never thought about it. But, now that you mention it, you may have a point." He smirked when he saw that Ginny was shooting curious looks at Severus and Hermione as well. He caught her eye and chuckled when the red head raised her eyebrows mischievously.

Hermione sighed softly. "This song is nearly mesmerizing," she said quietly, closing her eyes and enjoying the music and the warm pressure of the hand on her lower back. She was nearly tempted to lean forward just a bit more to rest her head against Severus' shoulder. She was amazed by the effect that the Sirens' song had on her. The Freeman sisters had a truly wonderful gift and it was a pity that it had to be so well hidden and protected.

Severus was content to hold Hermione in his arms and watch the emotions that flitted across her face. While he didn't appreciate being pushed into dancing with Hermione, he was enjoying the companionship. While he would never admit it out loud, he didn't particularly enjoy being alone. His time in Azkaban had cured him of any desire for a solitary life. Hermione's presence was soothing, and she was perfectly happy to work in silence, which pleased him immensely. When they did speak while working together, she listened intently and responded intelligently.

His musings were interrupted when Hermione's eyes snapped open and she gasped, clutching at the front of his white shirt. "What is it?" he asked, his eyes searching her face in alarm while his grip on her tightened just a bit.

Hermione's eyes stared into his, her excitement evident. "We hadn't considered using the siren's song in our potion," she said in a rush. Her gaze became unfocused as her thoughts raced. "It may not even work, but the very idea opens up so many possibilities," she muttered. She focused on Severus again with a smile. "It may be worth looking into."

Severus stared back at her for a moment, surprised. "It is most definitely worth testing," he replied slowly. "We could speak with Caroline to find out how exactly it works." He smirked when Hermione immediately looked toward Caroline, and he tightened his hold on her slightly to prevent her from rushing off. "We can let this wait until tomorrow. She appears rather distracted at this time."

Hermione nodded, smiling slightly. "She looks very happy," she murmured, her expression wistful. She glanced up at Severus and blushed a bit when she saw his curious look.

Severus hesitated and then said "I am a little surprised that Mr. Weasley had not been invited to this little outing."

"As am I," she admitted. "I cannot say that I am disappointed." She laughed ruefully. Seeing his puzzled frown she went on. "Ronald and I didn't last long when we attempted to move beyond friendship. Trying to move back to friendship was awkward at best. At worst, a homicide in the making."

Severus chuckled darkly, earning an amused smirk from Hermione. "I find it astounding that know-it-all Granger did not see that disaster coming," he drawled.

"That makes two of us," she said giggling.

Draco and Caroline watched them from a safe distance. Caroline sighed. "That is adorable," she murmured. "They would be really good for each other."

"Yes, the two workaholics," he replied, snorting in amusement. "We certainly wouldn't have to worry about them snogging all over the castle. They'll be to busy being brilliant."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I think you're under-estimating them," she said. "I think that they would be just as susceptible to be overcome by passion as anyone else."

Draco frowned in distaste. "That's disgusting," he said, earning another poke in the ribs.

#&+

_Please review! I need to know how I'm doing. I appreciate suggestions and constructive criticism. Also let me know if you notice errors. I'll gladly make corrections right away. _


	10. Under The Influence

**Under The Influence**

Harry's gaze roamed over the Great Hall, watching the various pairs of dueling wizards. Occasionally, he would step in to make a suggestion but he mostly wanted to observe their progress. Snape was doing the same thing on the opposite end of the hall, but his suggestions were less polite and his attitude seemed to suggest that any mistakes were personally offensive.

Harry noticed that the other Guardians had grouped together with the Freemans and they were all taking turns dueling. He had to admit they were an impressive lot. He frowned in thought and walked over to where Snape was sneering at Lavender and Parvati. The young women had gone into a fit of giggles over some poorly cast spells, nearly setting Dean Thomas on fire. Naturally, Snape swooped in and the laughter stopped abruptly.

"Could I have a word?" Harry asked Snape, shooting a disapproving look at the young women. Snape had been in a foul mood all day and he really didn't want Lavendar and Parvati making it worse. Snape gave the young women one last glare before moving away with Harry.

"What is it Potter?" he asked irritably.

"I was watching the others," he said, gesturing to where Hermione was stepping forward to duel Ron, looking very much like a martyr. "They seem to be doing very well, but I'm afraid that defensive magic just isn't enough. These vampires aren't something to trifle with."

"With the exception of the Freemans, every one of them participated in the last war and survived," Snape pointed out.

"That's not good enough," Harry insisted, sounding almost desperate. "We were so very lucky. It's a miracle we survived." His eyes rested on Ginny and he had a sudden tightness in his chest. "I can't lose her," he said quietly. "I can't lose any of them."

Snape stared at him for a moment. "What do you want from me?" he asked. "What are you suggesting?"

Harry took a deep breath and then met potions master's eyes. "You have experience and knowledge that I have no claim to," he said carefully. "I'm not suggesting that you teach them dark magic. But, I would like them to have more aggressive training. The Guardians in particular. I want for us to be able to take an offensive stance rather than just defensive. I feel as if I could train them, but I think that you are much better for that task." He fell silent, looking back over at his friends.

Severus stared at Harry for a moment, unsure of what to think or say. After a few moments, he rolled his eyes and said "We should get started." He sneered at Harry's expression of amazed gratitude. "Move along Potter. I have no desire to share in your sentimentality."

"Thank you Professor Snape," Harry said with a nod and a wide grin. He hurried away to resume supervising the dueling. Severus sighed in aggravation and walked over to the rest of the Guardians.

"Come to watch the show?" Draco called out to him with a smirk. "Granger is about to make Weasley cry."

Severus stood with his arms folded, looking irritable. "As entertaining as that would be, Potter feels that your dueling skills are inadequate and I have been chosen to remedy that."

"Hermione is great," Ron protested moving toward Snape menacingly. "You're just being a prat, like always."

Before Severus could his snarl his response, Hermione spoke up. "Ron, he was sent by Harry," she said, stepping between Ron and Severus. "Obviously Harry is concerned and we'll take that seriously." She turned to Severus. "Just tell us what to do."

Harry smiled in satisfaction as the various groups finished their practicing and gathered around him, awaiting instructions. The Guardians had been the last group to finish, but they were looking confident. "Great work today," Harry said looking around at everyone. "This will be the last training session with the whole group. I encourage you to continue practicing on your own and small group training will be scheduled for each team in the near future. If anybody would like some more personalized training, let me know and I'll see if I can work something out." He waved his wand at a roll of parchment and it flew into his hand. I highly recommend becoming as familiar with your team as possible. We have to rely on each other completely. Nobody is to work alone," he added sternly. "Our opponents are dangerous and once they realize that we're preparing to fight them, they'll be looking to pick us off." He used a charm to enlarge the parchment and then posted it on the wall near door so everyone could check the list as they left.

Harry sat down with a tired sigh. Hermione sat down next to him and patted his arm affectionately while Ginny stood behind his chair and rubbed his shoulders. "I think that went really well," Ginny said.

"You're not mad that I gave you extra training?" Harry asked, glancing back at her.

"You could have told us that you thought we were rubbish," Ron joked.

"No he couldn't," Draco laughed. "I probably would have hexed him." Severus smirked at that.

Ginny giggled. "We're not mad Harry," she said sincerely. "You were worried that we wouldn't be prepared. And honestly, after training with Professor Snape, I don't think we were ready. That was a good call you made." She leaned forward and kissed the top of his head.

"I hate to create more work for all of you," Harry said, shaking his head regretfully. "I just couldn't live with myself if I sent you off to war without your very best chance of survival."

"So, what's the next step?" Draco asked, sitting down and tugging Caroline to sit on his lap.

"We could begin your other training," Caroline suggested, running her fingers through Draco's hair absently.

"What training?" Ron asked warily.

"The Guardian's have always received training from the Sirens," Sam explained. "You can't harness the same power that we do, but we can teach you a few things that could be to your advantage."

"Like what?" Neville asked, sounding wary.

Jenna gave Neville a reassuring smile. "Music has magic of it's own," she said, her expression pensive. "Mothers sing to their babies as they rock them to sleep. However, that same lullaby can be a spell of protection. A lover's serenade can express passion and devotion, but a love song can also bring protection and healing."

"You can teach us that?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

"That's actually one of the perks to being a Guardian," Sam said with a grin.

"The potion!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly, startling the others. "Caroline, I meant to ask you about the potion. I was hoping you could help us by enhancing it with music."

"We'll have to figure out in what way it needs to be enhanced," Caroline said thoughtfully. "I shouldn't have a problem teaching you. Since, you and Severus are brewing the potion, it'll be more beneficial if you do it."

Hermione blinked in surprise and then smiled. "Well, I'm willing to try it," she said.

"How idiotic," Severus grumbled. He sneered when Hermione's eyes narrowed at him. "I have no intention of singing to the cauldron like a half-wit."

Hermione sputtered in indignation. "Don't be ridiculous," she huffed. "They told us before that music could be used in potion making."

"You are welcome to it, insufferable woman," Severus snarled. "I will not be taking part in something so asinine."

Hermione rose from her seat, her eyes narrowed and hands clenched angrily into fists. In a flash, she and Severus were practically nose to nose and arguing heatedly. When Severus made a snide comment about Hermione's bushy hair, Harry rose from his chair to intervene. He took a step toward the pair before thinking better of it. He certainly didn't want to be caught in the middle if these two started firing hexes.

Caroline rushed forward and placing one hand on Severus' shoulder and catching hold of Hermione's arm with the other hand. "Let's just calm it down," she said in a soothing tone. "You two have to work together frequently. It's stupid to ruin a decent working relationship over something like this. Severus, that was a cruel thing to say."

Severus shot an annoyed look at Caroline before returning his glare to Hermione. He abruptly whirled around and stalked out of the Great Hall, his black robes flapping behind him. Hermione remained for just a moment, looking hurt. Then she stalked out of the Great Hall as well, passing Professor McGonagall and Andy as they were coming in.

"Looks like I miss all the excitement," Andy commented, looking around at the people left in the Hall. "What happened?"

"Hermione and Snape had a bit of a row," Harry said with a sigh. "Snape has been in a foul mood all day, and I think he really hurt Hermione's feelings."

"She's just mad," Ron said dismissively. "Hermione has quite a temper herself and she doesn't care about her looks."

"She looked ready to cry," Andy objected with a concerned frown.

"Poor Hermione," Caroline murmered. She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Severus doesn't really seem like himself today."

"Are you kidding?" Ron spoke up with a laugh. "That was classic Snape behavior. He's a snarky git."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I realize he's not the friendliest person around," she said. "But for as long as I've been here, I've never seen him snap like that. He's had a very short fuse all day, even for him." She paused when she caught an expression of panic on Draco's face. "Draco, what is it?" Her eyes narrowed as he hesitated, his eyes darting around as he apparently tried to come up with a response. "What did you do?" she demanded.

Draco gave a nervous little laugh. "Well, today it's more about what I didn't do," he said carefully. At Caroline's pointed glare he continued. "I have been dosing Severus with a very mild calming draught."

There was a moment of stunned silence before Ron snorted and said "What, did you suddenly get tired of living? Snape would hex you to oblivion if he found out."

"I realize that," Draco retorted rolling his eyes. "I've been sneaking it into his tea every morning. He developed the calming draught himself. There's no odor and no taste." He met Caroline's eyes and added "I've been a little distracted and forgot about it entirely today. It's not a strong potion. It's just enough to take off the edge a bit and let him relax. Suddenly skipping a dose obviously resulted in ridiculous mood swings."

"Why would you do this?" Harry asked, puzzled.

Draco sighed and rubbed the back of his neck warily. "He's my godfather," he replied. "And he's my friend. I had hoped that he'd be able to make friends. Maybe a lover. I was really only trying to help. And it worked," he added quickly. "He's been more relaxed and a bit more social."

Caroline sighed. "This isn't the way to do it Draco," she said seriously. "The only thing to do is to admit what you've done to Severus. Perhaps he'll agree to a calming draught taper."

"Taper?" Ginny asked in confusion.

"Basically, you gradually cut down the dose," Caroline explained. "Reduce the amount by half for a few days. Then, every other day. Eventually you stop it entirely. This allows you adjust without suddenly depriving your body of something it's accustomed to getting and causing an adverse reaction."

"I think it's a great idea," Harry said. "I'll go talk to Hermione." He moved to leave the Great Hall, but Caroline stopped him.

"Harry, I'd like you to go with Draco to talk to Severus," she said. She grinned and added "I think Hermione needs the girls right now. Trust me."

"Right," Andy said rubbing his hands together. "Let's go take care of Hermione ladies."

"I thought Hermione needed the girls," Ron objected, eyeing Andy suspiciously.

Sam gave an unladylike snort. "Andy doesn't count," she said chuckling. "Come on Ginny. This will be fun. Are you coming Professor McGonagall?"

Minerva hesitated then said "I believe I will accompany Harry and Draco. I'd like to ensure that all of my professors survive this night."

Harry gave a long suffering sigh and trudged off with the headmistress and Draco. Neville went to his quarters, not really caring to see the confrontation with Snape. Ron bid everyone a goodnight and trotted off to find a fireplace so he could floo home. I didn't care for Snape on a good day, and had no intention of being in the vicinity when the surly professor found out what Malfoy had done.


End file.
